The Painting
by SeanBiggerstaffLOVER
Summary: Draco has mastered the art of the double life. He’s a famous muggle painter with no one in the Wizarding World suspecting a thing, but what happens when Ginny discovers his secret? Can one night change the attitudes of two enemies, or force them farther a
1. The Painting

**AN:** Just a fun little idea I had – I wont tell you were it came from, but I will tell you it was fun ; )

The Painting

Painting had always come naturally to him. It was creating something no one else could; it was an art unique to ever artist who attempted it. But no one would ever pin him as a painter, or accept it of him, so Draco Malfoy kept that part of his very public life a secret. He had a studio flat in London where he did all his art and if any of it was any good it was displayed in a Muggle gallery in Whitechapel. His paintings weren't even displayed under his name. They were under the persona Silver Dragon because he signed his paintings with a small silver dragon in the bottom right corner. Almost a guarantee that the two sides of his life would never collide. Almost.

The day everything went to ruin still stood clear in his mind like a beckon showing him exactly when his life was changed; for good or bad was still undetermined. Draco was at the first day of his new show acting as liaison to the artist, pretending he was a man named Michel Shawn he stood back with the owner of the gallery, Megan Mitchell and watched the people admire his work. The show displayed a collection of paintings he had done of Hogwarts castle – the way the school lived in his memory. From where he was standing he could only hear some of the things people were saying. They said the castle looked like a safe haven where you would never worry about danger.

Draco laughed internally at that thought. Hogwarts had been a haven, especially after he decided not to follow in his father's footsteps, but it had exactly been safe. It seemed every year while he was there, there was another obstacle to face and overcome. Though he and his classmates weren't ever in any real danger they did come fairly close on a regular basis. Especially in his last three years when The Dark Lord had come back into power and the castle was torn between those who fallowed him and those who fought against him. Choosing to be the latter had not been easy for Draco, but in the end he decided to do what was right.

"I think this will be the most successful show yet, Michel," Megan told Draco as she finished up with a couple who were buying one of the larger pieces in the collection, the twelfth to be sold in the collection of twenty-four. "Do you have any idea where our mystery painter came up with this place? If he could thing up another series like this we'd all be rich."

"All he told me was it was a place from his childhood."

"Who lives a childhood in a castle these days?" Megan scoffed while making out the sold sign to put next to the latest sale. "You know all these will be sold by the time the month is up." Megan asserted as she walked over and put the sign up so that viewers would know the painting was no longer available. The paintings would be hanging in the gallery for the next month and when that month was over those that hadn't been sold would be returned to the artist.

"Maybe it was the place in his dreams he always wanted to visit." Draco suggested as Megan returned to his side. She looked at him and they both started laughing.

"I cannot imagine our Silver Dragon as the sentimental type can you?" Megan asked suppressing her laughter as people turned towards them, clearly annoyed that people would be laughing in the middle of an art show.

"Not really no," Draco said firmly, he certainly wasn't sentimental.

"I think I see some potential buyers." Megan said nodding towards the largest piece in the collection; a large painting of the castle from the far side of the lake. There were two women standing in front of it. A tallish redheaded woman and a shorter brunet, they both seemed oddly familiar even from behind. "You want to convince them – the ladies are your territory after all." Megan joked. She and Draco had a general agreement that if women were showing interest "Michel" would charm them.

"I could manage that I think." Draco said straightening up, he had been leaning on the back wall, and starting across the room, but when he heard the women's voices he stopped dead. He knew their voices, he knew them a bit too well. His double life was dangerously close to being exposed.

"How did you hear about this again?" The redhead asked.

"Well my parents bought Harry and I a painting by this Silver Dragon person as a wedding gift last year and we love it so I thought it would be nice to get another of his paintings for our anniversary. I was reading the arts section of the newspaper, saw an advert for this exhibit, and figured this would be a good place to start. And it's just amazing. This castle," the brunet said holding her hand up to gesture at the castle, "it looks just like Hogwarts which was always Harry's home. It'll be so perfect."

"Well it is pretty amazing," the redhead said nodding her head. "But Hermione don't you think it's a bit extravagant."

"No Ginny I don't. I think Harry would love to have a painting of the place he felt safest and I can tell him that in twelve years we'll have our own little one finding his or her home there." Hearing their names Draco knew he was right. These were people from his other life – from his time at school. The kind of people Draco never intended to know about his art.

"You still haven't told him you're pregnant?"

"Well I only found out last week and I want to tell him on our anniversary next week."

"I guess that make sense, but what I meant by extravagant was this piece in particular, its three thousand pounds." Ginny said pointing at the price label on the wall.

"Maybe we could look at some of the smaller pieces."

"It's probably a good idea – I know you love him, but that doesn't mean you have to spend three thousand pounds on one painting."

"True," Hermione said and they moved away from the large painting to some of the smaller companion pieces.

"What's the matter Mike?" Megan asked coming up to his side, having watched the whole thing from the back of the room. Draco didn't answer, he pushed threw the crowed so he could fallow Ginny and Hermione. He didn't understand why he felt so compelled to fallow them; possibly because they were from the other side of his life and he wanted to make sure his secret was still safe; possible because he wanted to hear more of their opinions, he didn't know.

"You know I've been wondering about this Silver Dragon guy." Ginny whispered tracing the silver dragon in one of the paintings with her fingers.

"Everyone has." Hermione whispered back brushing Ginny's hand down away from the painting.

"You're acting like a mother already," Ginny laughed, "but like I was saying I've been wondering about this guy. Wouldn't it be weird if he was someone we know?"

"Like who?"

"Like Malfoy." Draco froze dead a few feet away. Hermione laughed slightly.

"I can't imagine Malfoy being an artist." Hermione said threw her laughter; Draco scowled – what was so funny about him being an artist?

"I'm serious Hermione. I mean look at the facts."

"What facts – no one knows anything about him."

"Well the castle for one. It can't be anything other then Hogwarts, so the painter would have to be _like us_ if you know what that means."

"I do." Hermione assured Ginny and she continued.

"And then there is the silver dragon at the bottom of all his paintings." Ginny said pointing to the silver dragon at the small painting Hermione was examining.

"Well it's his signature."

"I know that, but Hermione his name is Draco, it means dragon and his favorite color is silver."

"How on earth do you know that?" Hermione asked turning away from the painting to stare at Ginny. A few feet away Draco was thinking the same thing. Unless the smallest Weasley had paid more attention to him then she let on.

"I heard him mention it twice and I remember because he was always like 'the same color as my eyes' and every time he said it I just wanted to smack him because he said it in that 'I'm better then you could ever hope to be' voice of his." Draco smirked, that certainly sounded like something he would say.

"That sounds like Malfoy." Hermione said nodding her head. "You could be right, I guess. I think I like this one. It even looks like it's got a bit of Hagrid's hut in it. Oh and good it hasn't been sold yet. I wonder where the gallery owner is?" Hermione started glancing through the crowd looking for Megan. Before her gaze could fall on him Draco turned away and started walking towards the back of the room again. There he bumped into Megan.

"Those women who were looking at number seventeen –"

"The ones you were supposed to charm into buying number seventeen?"

"Yeah them – the brunette, Hermione, is going to buy number twenty-three."

"Hermione, why do I know that name? Hermione Potter?"

"Yeah – how did you know?"

"Her parents bought her and her husband –"

"Yeah I heard them talking about it, but how did you remember her name?"

"They bought that huge piece you brought in – the one that took up the entire display wall. Not something I'm likely to forget."

"Ah, I'd wondered who bought is. But yeah like I said she going to buy number twenty-three and she's looking for you. I'll be in the office; I have to make a call."

"Okay – wait why are we not talking them into buying number seventeen?"

"It's an anniversary gift for her husband so I thought letting her buy te one she wanted would be the best way to do it. It's kind of a personal gift, besides her friend who's with her talked her out of it before I could even say anything."

"Ah, all right then. Go make your call; I'll take care of the two of them." Draco nodded and headed to the office in the back of the gallery. He didn't need to make a call, he just needed to get out of that room before Ginny and Hermione saw him and exposed him for who he was.

Draco walked into the office, but didn't bother to turn on the light. He just walked over to the desk and sat. His head slumped forward onto the desk and one of his hands started to message the back of his neck – it was a nervous habit he couldn't shake and at the moment he was extremely nervous. Ginny and Hermione could have easily seen him and spread the news of his double life threw the Wizarding World. There was no way that they would know just by seeing him there that he was in fact the Silver Dragon, but he couldn't risk it.

And how had Hermione reacted when Ginny suggested the artist was Draco? She had laughed. If the Wizarding World found out that Draco Malfoy was a famous muggle artist they would laugh at him and Malfoy's couldn't be laughed at. They were far too good for that. There was a soft knock on the door and Draco assuming it was Megan, because no one else ever came into the office, told her to come in without even glancing up. It wasn't Megan.

"Are you Michel?" Draco's eyes, still looking at the desk, opened wide in fear. It was Ginny.

"Um, yes I am." Draco muttered, trying to make his voice sound deeper, less like himself. Maybe if he kept his face down and put on a false voice she wouldn't know it was him.

"You're the only person who's ever actually seen the Silver Dragon in person aren't you?" Ginny said and Draco could feel her eyes on him.

"As far as I know."

"Can you tell me about him?"

"I'm afraid I can't, he greatly desires his anonymity."

"That's strange, a famous painter who doesn't even want to be known for his work."

"I pass on that his work is appreciated, that seems to be enough for him."

"Are you even going to look at me?" Ginny asked. Draco could hear her coming closer to the desk, her steps making a soft noise in the otherwise silent room.

"I've actually got a bit of a headache just now, that's why I'm in here instead of out there."

"Uh huh." Ginny said coming right up to the desk. Draco felt her push papers aside as she sat down on one corner of the desk. "That castle in the exhibit is amazing – were you intending to paint Hogwarts, Draco?"

"Yes," Draco said before realizing what he had admitted. "Oh damn," Draco breathed bagging his head against the table.

"I knew it was you." Ginny squealed with excitement. "Really, who did you think you were fooling with that Silver Dragon persona?"

"It worked for the past three years." Draco said sitting back in the chair.

"You've been selling paintings for three years?"

"Yes." Draco answered getting out of his chair and starting around the desk. Ginny turned as he walked, never taking her eyes off him.

"Is this where you disappear to when you suddenly cancel meetings?"

"Ginny you can't tell a single person about this." Draco said stepping in front of her. He leaned forward so that she had to lean back; he was clearly trying to intimidate her.

"Are you trying to intimidate me?"

"I am trying to make the situation clear to you. People can't know about this, not even Hermione. I've had to lead a double life for three years – it has to stay that way."

"And what exactly will you do for me if I keep this little secret?"

"I _won't_ kill you."

"You can't intimidate me Draco."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to paint me."

"You - you want me to what?" Draco stammered stepping back, temporarily stunned.

"I want you to paint me." Ginny said getting off of the desk and walking towards him. "We've had our differences in the past – hell we've never even liked each other, but you are a brilliant painter and I would love to see what you'd make of me."

"That's it – I paint you and you won't tell a single person who I am."

"Exactly," Ginny said with a smirk Draco thought fit her well.

"I guess that sounds reasonable."

"Good, I'll just ditch Hermione and we can go." Ginny said stepping around him and reaching for the door, Draco grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Wait, you want to do this now. I can't leave the exhibit."

"Yes you can, and you're going to unless you want me to send a little note to the _Daily Prophet_."

"You wouldn't." Draco threatened meeting her green eyes with his silver ones.

"You know I would." Ginny said matching his stare.

"Fine, go ditch Hermione and meet me two streets down in about twenty minutes, that's where my car is parked."

"See you then." Ginny said prying his fingers off her wrist and pulling the door open. With a departing wink Ginny stepped through the door and then pulled the door closed with a snap. Draco leaned his back against the door and sighed deeply. His secret was still in tact and he knew he could trust Ginny to keep her word if he held up his end of the bargain.

Draco stood with his back against the door for a while, trying to regain his composure. When he was sure it was safe he opened the door slightly and looked out. He could see Ginny and Hermione walking towards the door. Sighing again Draco pulled the door open and strode through with a bold confidence he wasn't actually feeling.

"Well I sold her number twenty-three, just like she wanted."

"Good. Listen Megan I have to go."

"Is this about your phone call?"

"Yeah my girlfriend says she needs me desperately."

Megan raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm sure she does. I'll call you tomorrow about the sales so you can update the Dragon."

"Alright," Draco said and with a wave over his shoulder he disappeared out the door. He hurried down the street and then down the next and found Ginny leaning up against his silver convertible. Her already short skirt was pushed up her hips slightly because of the way she was standing and she was smiling a devious sort of smile. If Draco didn't know the littlest Weasley any better, he would think she was trying to seduce him.

"Do you think I'd make a good hood ornament?" Ginny asked sliding onto the hood of the car.

"Lovely I'm sure, just get in the car." Draco said clicking the automatic lock and walking around the car. Ginny got down off the car and slid into the passenger seat.

"I never thought I'd see the day Draco Malfoy would get down off his high pedestal to drive a lowly muggle car."

"Hasn't anyone told you Weasley," Draco nearly growled turning the key and listening to the engine purr, "a car like this just screams high stature – there is no lowering yourself for this baby."

"Of course, how silly of me," Ginny said rolling her eyes.

"Have you ever been in a car like this?" Draco asked sounding smugger than Ginny thought possible and for Draco Malfoy that was saying something.

"No," Ginny muttered not really liking the sound of that question.

"You might want to hold on." Draco said switching the car into gear and stepping on the gas petal. Ginny felt her body being forced back into the seat as the car sped down the street.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Ginny questioned gripping the door handle tightly as if that would keep her safe. Draco laughed as he whipped around the corner. The streets were empty, he was in control of the car, and at the moment he was enjoying the look of fear on Ginny's face. Torturing Weasleys had been one of his favorite hobbies in school. But then Ginny did something completely unexpected; she reached across the car and touched one of his hands gently.

"Please stop," she pleaded fearfully. Draco couldn't explain why that simple action touched him so, but he felt he foot raise from the gas peddle and ease onto the brake.

"Thank you," Ginny muttered pulling her hand back off his.

"I was only having a little fun – you weren't in any real danger," Draco assured her.

"I can never be sure with you," Ginny responded looking across the car to Draco. He turned to her and for a second their eyes met. It was an intense moment until Draco looked back to the road and Ginny looked out her window.

Draco stared intently out the front window. Ginny's words had caught his attention. The way she spoke it was almost as if they were friends or maybe that she wanted them to be friends. Whatever it was it was a bit unnerving.

Ten minutes later Draco pulled his car to the side of the street in front of his flat. He switched off the engine and looked to Ginny. She was sitting silently, still staring out the window. Draco cleared his throat and she turned to him.

"We're here," he said and she nodded, she seemed completely lost in thought.

"This is a nice neighborhood." Ginny muttered as she opened her door and stepped out in front of the building.

"Of course it is." Draco assured her, he was a Malfoy after all. Ginny rolled her eyes as she stepped around the car and followed Draco towards the building. Draco turned the key in the lock and pulled open the door. Ginny looked at him, expecting him to go in first, but no he held the door open and gestured for her to step in first. She was surprised that Draco would ever make such a gesture towards her, but she hadn't seen him in five years, he might have changed since then. Draco pushed past her and started towards the stairs. Apparently his politeness was temporary.

They walked up the two stories to his flat in silence. They reached a pair of large double door and Draco pulled out his keys. He unlocked the door quickly and pulled it open. Once again he held the door open for Ginny. Maybe his politeness was limited to holding doors open – who knows. Ginny shrugged and stepped passed him into the flat.

It was an amazing place; a large open floor space with paintings on easels and in stacks along the floor was the first thing you saw. Ginny walked into the dinning room which was just to her right and saw the kitchen was right off it. Both rooms were fair-sized and the kitchen seemed to have all the modern muggle conveniences that Ginny had come to recognize from spending time around Hermione; who was a brilliant Witch, but still clung to her muggle heritage. Around the corner in the kitchen Ginny saw a set of stairs.

"They lead to my bedroom and bath." Draco said noticing Ginny's quizzical glance.

"Oh," Ginny said moving back out into the open floor and walking over to the stacks of paintings. She pulled some of them forward and looked at them. They were all amazing.

"They're rubbish really," Draco said coming up behind her. "I just don't have the heart to part with them."

"They aren't rubbish – they're brilliant."

"I already told you I'd paint you – you don't have to kiss my ass or anything."

"I wouldn't if you asked me to – I mean it Draco, these are brilliant, well maybe not this one." Ginny said coming to one that was all red and black; she twisted her head slightly – trying to make sense of it.

"Ah, well that one is upside down." Draco said flipping the painting over. Ginny took the painting in and nearly screamed. It looked like The Dark Lord's outline in red on a black background, his red, cat-like eyes staring out at them with frightening accuracy.

"It's –" Ginny started to say, but Draco stopped her.

"That's why I keep it upside down and lost in the stack." Draco said turning it upside again and pulling it forward so they wouldn't be looking at it anymore.

"Why would you paint something like that?" Ginny asked turning away from the painting and studying Draco. He was very intently looking away from her – staring down at the painting. After a while, Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably and turned away from her and his art.

"Let's get started." He said walking away from her, halfway across the room he pulled of his jacket and through it onto a couch on the far wall that Ginny hadn't noticed before.

"Answer my question." Ginny said, not moving from where she was standing. Draco turned back to her; he rolled his eyes to the ceilings and made a strange noise in the back of his throat. He was making it painfully clear that he didn't want to answer her question, but Ginny didn't care – she wanted to know why anyone would paint that portrait.

"When The Dark Lord first came back, my father introduced me to him; told him that my mind was in the right place, that I would be perfect for the cause because I believed in it so. The Dark Lord took me to his side, determined to mold me after my father, and saw the beginnings of doubt in me. He tortured me for my doubt, made me feel pain, tried to break my spirit. Needless to say it didn't work. I managed to escape and I still turned against him, but those eyes tormented my dreams for years afterwards. All I could remember were his eyes, when they were filled with pleasure at the sight of my pain-ridden body. That's why his body is so incomplete – I don't see it clearly, I only see the eyes."

"But why did you –?" Ginny asked painting over her shoulder to the paintings, she couldn't get all the words out, but she knew he would know what she meant.

"I painted it to get it out of my mind, and it helped."

"Why do you keep it around?"

"The same reason I keep all the other ones around; I don't have the heart to get rid of it. And maybe I'm a little afraid that if I get rid of it the dreams will come back." Ginny nodded, understanding slightly, and turned back towards the paintings; knowing that if she pushed the issue any further he would probably get defensive.

The painting that was staring at her now was of a naked woman, sprawled out on a couch. "I think I saw this in a movie once." Ginny commented and she could here Draco laugh behind her. She smiled at the sound of her laughter. Ginny had never heard him laugh before – well not in this way. His laughter had always sounded mocking, but now it sounded soft and melodious, almost like music and she liked it.

"Oh you did – she loved that movie, made me watch it a million times."

"Would you paint me like this?" Ginny asked tracing the girls face with one of her fingers.

"I think doing that once was enough." Draco laughed misunderstanding Ginny's request.

"No I don't mean in that pose – I mean the style."

"You mean nude?"

"Yes," Ginny answered, not a note of embarrassment in her voice.

"Um, I can, if that's what you want, um want me to do." Draco stammered, that unnerving feeling he had in the car was back and he was suddenly unsure about seeing Ginny naked. Like he would be invading her privacy and he had never felt that way about seeing any other woman naked; in fact it was one of his favorite ways to see women.

"I think I do." Ginny said quietly and then quieter still she added. "She looks so beautiful that way, so desirable."

"She was," Draco said with a smirk, remembering.

"Shall we start then?" Ginny asked, turning to Draco.

"Sure," Draco said nodding his head, he seemed a bit nervous. "Let me just go get something and then we can go into the studio."

"This isn't the studio?" Ginny asked as Draco walked across the room. Draco shook his head no and kept walking until he disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. Ginny could hear him heading up the stairs and knew he was disappearing to his bedroom. She could hear him coming back down the stairs five minutes later.

"I got this for you." Draco said coming around the corner from the kitchen, holding a black silk dressing gown in his hands. "I thought maybe you wouldn't want to be naked in front of me longer then you have to."

"A very nice thought – thank you." Ginny said as she took the dressing gown from him.

"Well the studio is just down this hallway." Draco said walking past her to the hallway on the opposite side of the room.

"All right," Ginny said fallowing him. They walked down the hall in silence, Ginny right behind Draco, until they came to a black door.

"This is the studio, there is a bathroom just down there," Draco said pointing to another black door a little further along. "You can change in there – since I'm assuming you don't want to strip down in front of me."

"You will be seeing me naked."

"That's true, but still if you want privacy you can strip down in there."

"Thanks, I think I will." Ginny said nodding her head and walking towards the bathroom.

"Just come back down to the studio when you're changed – I'll set things up while you're getting ready." Draco said opening the door to the studio.

"All right, I'll be back in a minute." Ginny said, pulling open the door to the bathroom. Draco nodded and they both stepped through their respective doors at the same time.

The bathroom was a simple room except that the floors and counter tops were covered in marble, not cheap, though the most impressive feature was the large shower – a large water fall into a tub that could fit at least five people. Ginny wondered how many people had actually been in that tub as she pulled her skintight shirt over her head, but decided she'd rather not know. She stripped down to the black thong she was wearing under her skirt, decided that she didn't want to be entirely naked in front of Draco, and pulled on the silk dressing gown. The material was cold against her skin and made her nipples stand out.

Ginny looked to the mirror one last time before leaving and then stepped through the door boldly. She walked down the hall and pushed on the already open door to the studio. Draco was at the far side of the room sitting on a raised platform that was covered in black silk.

"I've gotten a vision in my head," Draco said motioning for Ginny to join him on the platform. "It involves you lying on your back on this platform, surrounded by the black fabric, not completely naked though – only partially, if that's all right with you."

"You're the artist; I'll trust your vision."

"All right then," Draco said patting the spot next to him. Ginny slid up next to him. Draco got up on his feet and Ginny did the same. He took her by the hand and led her over to the center of the platform. "You should sit about here, so if you'll, um take off your robe before you lay down I think it'll be easier."

"Okay," Ginny responded untying the belt, slipping the dressing gown down her shoulders, and tossing it to the side. Draco's mouth dropped open slightly when he saw her naked in front of her, no women had had that effect on him ever. Her legs were long and athletically toned, her hips were perfectly rounded, her waist, though slim, wasn't stick thin and Draco liked that. Then there was her chest. She had the most beautiful breast Draco had ever seen; they were full and round, weren't huge, but they fit the shape of her body perfectly.

"Um Draco," Ginny said after a while, "those aren't my eyes."

"Right, sorry," Draco said looking away from her breasts for the first time in minutes. "So if you'll sit down I'll move the fabric into position." Ginny nodded her head, and lowered her body onto the platform. Though she had called him on it like she was offended, Ginny had liked the way Draco had been looking at her, as if she was beautiful.

"While we are being so...close," Draco said pulling a long piece of fabric towards them, "do you want to explain to me why you think you're not beautiful?"

"What?" Ginny asked, surprised that Draco had so clearly seen through her façade and into her insecurities.

"The way you asked me to paint you," Draco started, putting the fabric behind Ginny's back, "you said the girl in my other painting looked beautiful and desirable; you said it like you didn't think you were either."

"Because, well, I'm not," Ginny said lying back as Draco pushed her softly.

"What makes you think that?" Draco asked as her wrapped the silk around her hips, covering up her thong.

"My last boyfriend," Ginny stated lifting her butt into the air so Draco could wrap the silk under her again. "We dated for about two years and it turned out he was cheating on me the entire time. The other girl he was seeing was one of those blond bombshell types and I just couldn't measure up. He even told me so when I confronted him about her. He said exactly, 'you just wish you could be as beautiful as she is, she's the kind of woman men dream about, you're the kind they settle for'."

"My God, where did you find that idiot?" Draco asked wrapping the silk around her left leg once.

"I met him at a party – do you really think he's wrong about what he said?"

"Are we being honest?" Draco asked adjusting the silk on her leg a bit.

"I was honest with you," Ginny asked tilting her head up so she could look into his eyes.

"You were, weren't you?" Draco questioned standing up, "Yes Ginny, I think he was wrong about what he said. I also think you know better then to believe him."

"I did get your jaw to drop didn't I?" Ginny asked laying her head back, a sweet smile on her face. She knew she was attractive, but what her ex had said had hurt her and brought up old insecurities. It was nice to hear that someone who "hated" her thought she was desirable.

"Yes you did, not that I'd ever admit it." Draco said walking to the edge of the platform and jumping down.

"Why wouldn't you admit it?" Ginny asked, almost hurt that he would admit he was attracted to her.

"It's a weakness, to let a woman affect you so." Draco muttered fiddling with something that Ginny could see with her eyes facing the ceiling.

"I forget you're a Malfoy sometimes." Ginny announced, annoyed that he had been so sweet and then suddenly turned so cold. She had been enjoying the softer side he was letting her see.

"Lucky you."

"You turned against your family name and beliefs once. Why couldn't you just stay that person?"

"I still am that person," Draco asserted as he came into view above Ginny. He was at the top of a high ladder stepping onto a hanging scaffold. "It's too complicated for you to understand."

"Why because my family was poor and only rich people have problems?"

"You know only a few years ago I would have said yes to that statement, but no. It's not because you were poor and I was rich. You wouldn't understand my issues because your family loved you and supported you."

"My parents always loved me, that's true, but when I told them that I didn't want to work for the Ministry, they were not supportive."

"That's not the same thing."

"You're right it's not, but that doesn't mean I don't understand." Ginny yelled up to him, spreading her hair out a bit.

"That's perfect, don't move you're hair anymore," Draco yelled down to her and she saw a flash go off above her.

"What are you doing exactly?"

"I am taking pictures of you so that you don't have to spend three weeks in that position. I'll develop the film and use the pictures as reference when I'm painting you." Draco explained continuing to take pictures periodically.

"So explain to me why a brilliant painter doesn't want people to know who he is?" Ginny asked, deciding to drop the other issue for the time being.

"It all goes back to the same things for me," Draco said being completely honest with her. "I'm a Malfoy, we don't paint; we don't show emotion and we aren't creative."

"Why do you bother with what people expect of you?" Ginny asked not understanding Draco at all. He turned against his family, but still holds himself to what they would expect of him.

"How did Hermione react when you told her you thought I was the Silver Dragon?"

"She laughed, but what does that matter? She also thinks the Silver Dragon is brilliant, she and Harry have that massive painting of yours up in their front hall and she can't stop raving about it. How every time she looks at it she sees something she's not noticed in it before."

"But she still laughed."

"So, we laughed at you all the time at school."

"That was different, that was a stupid school rivalry, this is who I am that people will be laughing at."

"Sometimes you have to take big risks." Ginny said simply, "you can't let yourself fear what the outcome will be or you'll never get what you want."

"What do you think I want?" Draco asked walking back across the scaffold towards the ladder.

"I think the artist in you is who you really are and you want people to be able to see that." Ginny declared sitting up, pulling the silk up to cover her chest. She saw Draco pause on the ladder as if he was surprised by her answer.

"How do you see through people so accurately?" Draco asked coming down of the ladder.

"I've always been able to see people for whom they truly are; call it a gift if you want, it's a part of who I am. A person I am proud to be."

"Though you have your own insecurities."

"Of course I do everyone does,"

"Well think of this as one of my insecurities. I am proud of my art," Draco said stepping up onto the platform. "I am, but how would it look for Draco Malfoy to be a famous muggle painter?"

"Who cares?"

"I suppose I do," Draco said sitting down next to her.

"You shouldn't," Ginny said placing her hand gently on his cheek, in a comforting way. He smiled slightly at her, Ginny realized it was the first time she had seen him smile, not smirk, but smile and she liked it. "I've never seen you smile before."

"I do it very rarely."

"You should do it more often, you have a wonderful smile." Ginny said softly unable to stop herself. Then he made the movie she found she had been longing for him to make, he tilted his head towards her. Ginny leaned in to meet him and felt his lips suddenly against hers; they were warm and soft, yearning for the touch of hers. His mouth parted and his tongue slid out licking her bottom lip softly, begging entrance. Ginny's mouth opened to let him in and she could feel herself moan as their tongues danced together. Minutes, possibly hours later, Draco pulled his lips reluctantly from hers, they both needed to breath and for some reason their noses weren't working.

"I've never kissed anyone like that." Ginny gasped trying to find the breath that Draco's kiss had stolen away. Draco shook his head to indicate that he hadn't either. Not bothering with even a single word Draco leaned in and started kissing Ginny's neck. Ginny could feel herself moaning again, he was attacking the weak spot behind her right ear. This new moan came in the form of his name and that spurred Draco on. He nibbled at the soft flesh of her neck playfully and she felt her body arch towards him, enjoying every sensation he was creating. Loosing control, Ginny surrendered her hold on the thin fabric and it pooled in her lap, exposing her breasts to him once more. Draco took the opportunity to cover one breast with one of his hands while the other wrapped around her back and held her tight. The hand on her chest started to massage her flesh sensually and Ginny moaned his name again.

"And you think you're not desirable," Draco huskily whispered in her ear as he continued to massage her nipple playfully.

"Clearly I was wrong," Ginny breathed between moans. "But you have me at a disadvantage."

"And what would that be?" Draco asked, slightly afraid she was going to tell him he was taking advantage of her and she wanted him to stop.

"You're still dressed," Ginny breathed.

"That I am, but that can easily be fixed if you want it to be." Draco said as his lips moved back towards her neck. Ginny purred softly into his ear as a means of response and tugged at the buttons of his shirt. She managed to get his shirt unbuttoned quickly and pushed it down his shoulders. Draco released his hold on her momentarily to allow her to free him of the shirt entirely. Ginny threw it over her head enthusiastically and moved her hands to the front of his pants. She nearly tore the button open in her sudden burst of passion.

"Hey those are expensive," Draco joked; there was a laugh at the edge of his husky voice. Ginny glared at him, annoyance written all over her face; he was reminding her again of their financial differences and she didn't find it funny. He wiped the annoyance right off her face by circling her nipple with his thumb and tugging at it lightly. "Let me help you."

Draco relinquished his hold on Ginny and pushed her away slightly so he could get up to his knees. He pushed his zipper down and the bulge that had been growing in his pants became completely visible. Ginny's eyes grew wide, the sheer size of him surprising her. Draco caught the look in her eyes and smirked inwardly; he had often thought of himself as _well endowed_. They remained that way for a moment or two, Draco kneeling above Ginny, until Ginny made a bold move and pulled his pants and boxers down to his knees. Draco got up onto his feet. Ginny slipped his shoes off his feet and then freed him from his pants entirely.

"I believe now you have the advantage." Draco laughed remembering that Ginny still had on her sexy little thong.

"You're right I do." Ginny said rising to her knees, the silky material falling from her completely, exposing her thong once more. Draco was going to say something to her about how great that choice of underwear made her ass look, but he stopped as she kissed the tip of him sensually. Her action took him by surprised; though it was a welcomed surprise. She ran her hand along his length softly; trying to tease him more then please him. Looking up into his eyes she could see she was succeeding. He was looking down at her, his eyes pleading with her; _keep going_ they urged her though his lips said nothing. Ginny just smiled at him and continued to play.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" Draco gasped as she played with her tongue.

"A fairly good one actually – that's why I'm doing it." Ginny said seductively as she looked up to Draco again. He was panting heavily, his mouth hanging open, his eyes locked on her and what she was doing to him. "Do you want me Draco?" Ginny asked moving her mouth away from him and moving her hands to his legs.

"Oh God yes," Draco panted.

"Then I suggest you get back down here." Ginny said moving away from him slightly. Almost immediately Draco dropped back down to his knees. Ginny smiled at him as she reached to either of her sides and tugged at the knots holding her thong together. Seconds later she was free of it and she threw it to side of the platform where Draco's clothes lay.

"We are back to where we started." Draco declared moving closer to her.

"Not entirely," Ginny said reaching out to his bare chest and caressing him. Draco moved her hand around to his back and pulled her to the edge of his lap. "Anxious aren't we?"

"I want you so much, Ginny." Draco said trying to bring her closer, but she held him at arms length.

"Why?" Ginny asked locking him into a deeply searching stare.

"Because you see me – you want to see me. You knew the paintings were me and you accept me for them."

"That's a good answer," Ginny said smiling at him and running her hand down his chest again.

"It's a very true answer," Draco assured her. "No one has ever showed any interest in who I am and even after the way I treated you at school you still treat me like I'm worth something."

"Don't doubt your worth Draco, you are an incredible man."

"You're only saying that because you're seeing me naked."

"Well it certainly doesn't hurt your case." Ginny smiled glancing down his body quickly before kissing his neck softly. "Now shut up and finish what we've started."

"You're the one who brought up reasons."

"And now I'm the one who _needs_ you to finish this." Ginny purred in his ear pulling herself even further onto his lap. Draco nodded, the heat radiating off her body was making him hot in more then one way and he needed her just as much as she said she needed him.

Lifting her hips up and moving her as close to his body as possible Draco looked into his eyes and he found her staring intently back into his. He brought her down slowly and saw pleasure ripple across her face – the same pleasure he could feel spreading suddenly through himself. Moving together the way their bodies were urging them to Draco and Ginny quickly found themselves reaching the heights of passion together, their eyes and bodies never parting.

In the earlier hours of the morning, when exhaustion finally took over Draco found himself lying with Ginny in his arms, nestled tight against his chest. He could feel her chest rise and fall steadily and he knew she had fallen asleep, his eyelids feeling heavy Draco knew he would quickly be joining her. The last think he remembered thinking before sleep completely over took him was that something powerful had happened between them and he could fall in love with her. He knew in that moment that his life had changed and nothing would be the same for him ever again.

The next afternoon Draco woke to the sound of his phone ringing. Draco tried to rush from the platform to grab the phone off the wall, but the satin slowed him down so that he barley reached it in time.

"Hello," Draco said suddenly fighting the urge to yawn.

"Michel, it's Megan I have the numbers from last night."

"What?" Draco asked sleepily, his mind wasn't focusing on the phone call at hand.

"Oh good lord you did it again didn't you?"

"What?" Draco asked again – having no idea what she was talking about.

"Never mind – listen do you want the numbers now or should I call back when you're less distracted?"

"I'm not distracted I'm just tired, you woke me up out of a dead sleep."

"Ah well now that I've got you off guard let me ask you something I've always wanted to know – boxers or briefs?"

"At the moment neither."

"Oh really, maybe I really should call back later – you sure your girlfriend wont mind you talking to someone else in the middle of things?"

"What are you babbling about?" Draco asked bringing his hand up to his head and running it through his long untidy hair.

"Again I'll say never mind – so do you want the numbers or not?" Megan asked. Draco didn't answer right away. He had chosen that moment to look back to the platform, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ginny while she was still sleeping, only to find that she wasn't there at all.

"Listen I'll call you back later Megan – I have stuff I have to do right now."

"Okay Michel, just call me anytime to find out how rich last night made us." Draco heard Megan say as he hung up the phone. He didn't really care about the money, he never had, and all he cared about now was finding Ginny. Forgetting that he was completely naked Draco ran from the room, he didn't know where to look first.

"Ginny – Gin are you here?" Draco called from every corner of his flat, but he got no answer. He was just going towards the back bathroom where she had disrobed the night before, when something caught his eye. Resting on the easel in the very middle of the room was a parchment with his name on it. Draco found himself rushing, something he never did, to find out when this parchment said. In Ginny's perfectly feminine handwriting his name was written on the back of it. Hurriedly Draco flipped it over, he found a somewhat lengthy note on the other side.

_I'm sorry I'm not there with you right now, but I had to leave. You're an amazing person Draco, I always believed you were and I saw I was right last night. The truth of who you are was clear in your eyes when we talked about your art and your family. I just hope you can come to peace with it some day – you'd take the world by storm if you were just yourself and that's an amazing thought._

_Now I know what you are thinking – if you are so amazing why am I not there? Well honestly Draco I think you need some time to yourself. To accept who you are. If I'm right about what happened last night, and I'm fairly sure I am, you are well on your way to finally being yourself and I think that journey has to start alone. I don't want to push you into changing – I just want you to be you._

If I'm wrong, then I hate to say this but it's true – I can't see you again. Right now you are two different people, you are Draco Malfoy and you are the Silver Dragon. The problem is there's only enough of me for one of you. I hope you understand that and can accept it.

_I pray that I'm right_

_Ginny_

_PS – you don't have to paint me if you don't want to, I wont say a word about your secret, because I think you'll come clean all on you own when the time comes._

Draco read and reread the letter a countless number of times. Not daring to believe that it was actually real. She said she didn't want to push him into changing, but she was. Just saying that she wouldn't see him again if he didn't change made it impossible for him not to. Draco decided that there was only one thing he could do – go after her. True he didn't know where she lived, but he could find out easily enough. Again finding himself in an unnatural hurry Draco ran through his kitchen and up the stairs to his bedroom. He grabbed clean clothes from his closet and took a faster shower then he thought was possible.

Clean and dressed Draco hurried back down stairs. He was just reaching for his keys when he saw the second note stuck to his front door.

_Don't come after me until you are ready Draco – I meant what I said. When you are sure you are ready you can find me here:_

And bellow was her address – she lived just outside of London not far from his flat. It would take him no time at all to get to her. But then he reread the note _when you are sure you are _ready – was he sure he was ready? No. Reluctantly Draco let his keys fall from his hand. He knew if he went after her she would just ignore him. And what if she was right; right about who he was and about him caring too much about what others thought. Maybe he should just go down to the gallery and tell Megan he was the Silver Dragon, that every piece she has sold he had created, and that there were hundreds more in his flat. But no he couldn't do that; he wasn't ready to make that step. He at least knew enough about himself to know that he could just jump into it and change everything all at once. That is, _if_ he was going to change anything at all and he wasn't really sure he was.

Draco's life had been working perfectly well for him up to this point. He got to hear people's honest opinions about his work without worrying about them trying to kiss his ass because he was the artist. But Ginny had reached a longing in him that he didn't know existed; the longing to be recognized for who and what he was and now that she had tapped into it he was sure it wouldn't go away. God, Ginny had him so confused.

And why had she had this affect on him? He had had one-night-stands before and he can't say that he had expected this thing with Ginny to be anything more than that. But her absence when he awoke had, he now realized, thrown him into a panic and she had him thinking he needed to change how people saw him so that he could be happy. Her note even had him acting like a lovesick fool dashing off to make sure he hadn't lost what he'd found. It was ridiculous that one woman, one whom he barley knew, could have such an affect on him.

The only thing Draco knew was he needed to do some serious thinking and the best way for him to think was for him to paint. Shying resolutely, Draco walked to his studio. The only thing he could think of painting was Ginny. He knew he didn't have to paint the picture anymore for her to keep his secret, she had said so in the note and he believed her, but now he found he wanted to. He wanted to challenge himself – trying to capture the intensity of her green eyes, the perfect smoothness of her skin, and the curves of her body that had captivated him so.

For four months Draco did nothing but work on his portrait of Ginny. He ignored every phone call, disregarded every letter, and focused all his attention on her. He would spend hours lost in the eyes he had painted for her – losing all sense of where he was or what he was doing. On countless nights he would fall asleep on his stool after having spent the whole day in front of the easel and accomplishing very little.

When it was finally finished, perfect in everyway, Draco signed it with the same silver paint he used for all his signatures, but this time he signed his name. It was the first step of the journey he understood now that he had to take, if he was ever going to happy, and not just with Ginny, but in life, he needed to do this. Draco fell asleep that night knowing that the next day he would take the painting to Ginny and show her that he was taking those ever important first steps.

Unfortunately for Draco someone banging on his front door awoke him the next day. Pulling on his robe Draco walked sleepily to the door, not bothering to hurry; whoever was waking him up at seven in the morning was just going to have to wait. When he finally reached the door and pulled it open he found Megan standing on the other side looking furious.

"Where the_ hell_ have you been?"

"I've been here – why?"

"Because I've been calling _here_ for the past four months. I've almost lost my job because of you."

"Why what did I do?"

"Nothing, but that's the problem. You haven't come to pick up the two paintings that were left from the last show. You haven't supplied any new paintings for a new show and the gallery is going under."

"What? You've gone more then four months without a show before."

"Yes, but the last show peaked national interest and now that I haven't been able to deliver another for four months there are rumors that this Silver Dragon thing was just a scheme to draw attention to the gallery and most customers refuse to come anywhere near it now."

"Oh, you should have told me."

"Well I tried, but you haven't answered your phone for four months – I was afraid that it was some big scheme and now that it was out you had run."

"No nothing like that – sorry I haven't answered the phone, I've been busy."

"Well when you're not _busy_ do me a favor – contact our mystery artist and let him know what's going on."

"Yeah about our mystery artist –"

"Oh don't tell me – he's retired or something."

"No – I'm him."

"What?!"

"Yeah I'm the Silver Dragon, but I was afraid of what people would think of me if they found out – that's why I came up with the persona."

"You're telling me Michel –"

"Actually that's the other thing, my names not Michel, it's Draco Malfoy. That's where my signature comes from – my favorite color has been silver for as long as I can remember and my name means dragon."

"Oh my God – this is insane."

"Listen you said you need a show right?"

"Yeah," Megan said still sound completely flabbergasted.

"Well then come in." Draco stepped out of the doorway and motioned for Megan to come in. She did somewhat reluctantly and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when she saw the sheer number of paintings that seemed to be everywhere.

"You've just got all these lying around."

"Yeah – I figured they weren't any good. Either that or they weren't bought when they were up in the gallery, which I guess means the same thing. Look just pick out the ones you want and I'll get them to the gallery by this afternoon."

"Well I know I want this one." Megan said pointing to the painting of Ginny.

"Oh except that one – that one I'm giving to someone."

"It would be extremely popular at the gallery."

"I'm sure it would be – the woman in it is perfect, but I promised." Draco said making his way through his dinning room.

"Fine, wait where are you going?" Megan called after him.

"I'm going to get dressed and take this painting to it's rightful owner, just tag the ones you want or stake them up or something and I'll get them to the gallery by this afternoon." Draco repeated impatiently walking up the stairs to his bedroom. He got himself ready quickly, not wanting to go another second without seeing Ginny. Dressed in black pants and grey sweater Draco walked back down to his living room just in time to meet Megan at the door.

"I found about thirty that I think will do really well and I stacked them up over there." Megan said gesturing to a large pile of paintings across the room from where they stood.

"You work fast."

"Hey it's my job."

"Glad I could help."

"Help, you've saved me, but I have to go now, I've got to get the gallery ready for the new show."

"All right, well I have to take this painting to its owner so let me grab it and I'll go down with you."

"Oh Mich – I mean Draco, it's raining so you might want to cover it with something."

"Okay thanks Megan, let me just grab a large bag from the kitchen," he said disappearing into the kitchen. Draco returned a couple minutes later with a large bin liner that he quickly threw over the top of the painting. He could have easily cast a spell over the painting so it was made water resistant, but Megan didn't know he was a wizard so casting a spell in front of her would not be safe.

"Do you think you could bring the paintings by around one?" Megan asked as the reached the sidewalk outside of Draco's building.

"Sure one o'clock sounds fine," Draco yelled over the suddenly roaring winds. Desperate to get out of the rain Draco quickly unlocked his door and got in. He placed the portrait in the passenger seat, strapped on his safety belt and started down the road.

Twenty minutes later Draco found himself sitting in his car outside a fairly nice looking house. The rain had picked up a great deal since he started out on his journey and he was just working up the courage to venture outside the safety of his car and into the storm. Finally there was a break in the clouds and Draco made a mad dash. Painting in hand Draco sprinted up Ginny's front steps and managed to make it up to the covered porch just before the rain started to pour down again. Draco gave himself a moment to calm his nerves before he rang the bell and waited for her to open the door.

He could see her shadow approach the door and he felt his heart start to hum. She opened the door agonizingly slow, almost as if she was reluctant. When the door was finally open all Draco could do was sigh happily. There she was in all her glory. She even looked better then last time; she had an unexplainable glow about her. In her white pants, a white shirt and a light blue poncho – she looked absolutely beautiful.

"Draco," she said stepping back away from him. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"What, do you really have that little faith in my ability to change?"

"Well no, but after you didn't reply to my last letter I thought I'd never hear from you again."

"Yeah sorry about that – I haven't actually looked at any of my mail recently. You see I've been busy working on this," and Draco pulled the bag off the painting.

"God Draco I didn't expect you to be here and not know."

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked wondering why she wasn't looking at the painting and praising him for what he worked so hard on.

"Draco I thought you knew, I don't really know how to tell you this, but um, Draco, I'm pregnant."

"What?" Draco questioned his eyes suddenly wide with the realization of that night. Almost exactly four months ago. Ginny nodded her head slowly and pulled her poncho up over her head; her once perfect stomach had rounded out. Draco took a nervous step towards her, his hand out stretched. Seeing what he was trying to do, Ginny took Draco's hand and placed it on her stomach – where she knew their child was growing in her womb.

"Maybe you should come in." Ginny offered stepping back from the door. Draco nodded grabbing the painting tight in one hand he stepped through her doorway after her.

**AN:** I should probably get working on part two now shouldn't I? Well while I'm working on that you guys let me know what you thought of part one.


	2. The Challenge

**AN: **I've been getting the impression from reviews I have gotten so far that no one really noticed this was part two to The Painting, so I've decided to just post it as the second chapter and be done with it, not the story just my vain attempts to make a one-shot trilogy, I really do blame myself for not explaining this better – The Painting was a one-shot, so it is an entire story encapsulated in one. It is however the first part of a trilogy, yes that's right, somehow this will be resolved in three parts, but there is also going to be an epilogue to let you know what happens after all this is finished. So I'm sorry if there was any misunderstanding, I guess I'll just post Part Three here too, when it's done that is. But I think you guys have been waiting long enough so on with the show…

The Challenge

Draco's mind was reeling as he closed Ginny's door behind himself. He could see her in front of him, walking calmly across her living room to a small kitchen, but he couldn't make himself move any more then he already had.

"Ginny!" Draco called out when he found his voice again, trying to will her back towards him.

"Sit down in the living room, I'll be right back – I just want to get something from the kitchen," she called back. He nodded his head shakily; almost as if he was trying to convince himself of something. It took him a minute to find the strength to move again. When he finally got himself going he put the painting softly against the doorframe and walked over to the sofa in the living room. Ginny came back a few minutes later holding a glass in one hand and what looked like a bit of paper in the other.

"How?" He heard himself ask as she approached, knowing it was a stupid question, but asking it anyway.

"You were there – you should know how."

"I know how – but I mean _how_?"

"I'm a Weasley; we're notoriously easy to knock up. Here, I thought you could use this," she said offering him the glass which turned out to be a shot of firewhisky. "I know I could have when I first found out," he looked at her sharply, he had heard that women should drink when pregnant, "don't worry I didn't."

"Well I figured you'd be smarter then that," he laughed uncomfortably downing the firewhisky. "Thanks for that," he muttered placing the glass down on the coffee table.

"No problem," she said tucking her feet up next to body and turning towards him, "I brought this for you to see." She somewhat reluctantly held out the photo for him. He took it from her, unsure of what it was, and looked at it. It made no sense. It looked like a bunch of black and white wavy lines.

"I don't have any idea what you're showing me," he admitted, pushing the photo towards her. She laughed slightly and smiled at him.

"I knew you wouldn't, but I thought I'd give you a chance just the same," she laughed pushing the photo back into his hand. "That is an ultrasound picture."

"A what?"

"An ultrasound, it's a muggle thing. Basically –" but before she could explain he interrupted.

"A muggle thing – you've been seeing a muggle healer?" He questioned; both annoyed and concerned.

"Doctor, Draco they are called doctors and I thought you were past that pig headed view about wizards being superior."

"You can go to a muggle doctor if you want to – it's just, have you not told your family?" She looked at him quizzically – not at all understanding what he was asking or rather why he was asking that. Seeing her confusion he clarified, "because seeing a muggle doctor would be one way of hiding your pregnancy."

"Oh no, my family knows," Ginny assured him. "They're not happy about it, but they know. I've just been seeing a muggle doctor because Hermione is seeing the same one. She's practically my sister and the only pregnant women I know so I decided to trust her."

"That's right Hermione's pregnant too isn't she?" Draco asked remembering the conversation he had overheard all those months ago.

"Yeah she is."

Sensing that he'd made a misstep he looked for something to change the subject. Finding the photo in his hand and remembering he still didn't understand it he asked, "explain this ultra-thing to me? You say it's a muggle thing"?

"An ultrasound machine, well I don't really understand how it works myself, but I know that when it works it gives a picture of the baby. That one was taken about a month ago."

"This is our baby?" He questioned looking even closer at the picture in front of him. He was amazed that muggles could find a way to do this, though, in all honesty, knowing what the picture was didn't make it any clearer.

"That's her," said Ginny tracing the line of their daughter's face with her finger.

"Her?"

"Her, another thing the ultrasound can tell – though Hermione and I did a spell so we would know for sure."

"And this is her?" Draco asked tracing along the same line, now seeing his daughter's profile clearly.

"Yes, but the really amazing thing," she said pulling her wand out of her pocket, she pointed it at her stomach and muttered a spell. The room was suddenly filled with a strange noise. It had a beat to it, but it sounded almost fluid – it was like nothing he had ever heard before.

"What –?"

"Her heartbeat," she informed him smiling. "The doctor says it's extremely strong, so that's good."

"And she's healthy and you're – everything is all right?"

"Yes, well I have an appointment today to see if everything is still all right, but it was at my last appointment."

"Everything is healthy – that's good. So now I can ask you why you didn't tell me." She nodded her head – knowing that this was coming. She waved her wand again, stopping the spell, and cleared her throat nervously.

"I tried," she assured him taking his free hand gently. She didn't want him to believe, even for a second that she had tried to keep this from him. "I've written you countless letters –"

"You were going to tell me in a letter!" He asked incredulously, pulling his hand away from her.

"No, not originally, when I first found out I tried to floo you at Malfoy Manor, but you did answer. So I went there and your servants told me you weren't at home – that they haven't seen you in weeks. That's how I knew you were still at your flat; why I sent the letters there. Originally I was just trying to get your attention – trying to get you to talk to me, but you didn't answer and you didn't answer so I finally just wrote it down in my last letter. But you still didn't answer so –"

"So you assumed I knew," he said softly – understanding what she was saying.

"I assumed you knew and didn't want to have anything to do with me – or her." He nodded his head slowly, taking in what she had said. Not knowing how to continue he turned his attention again to the picture in his hand and found himself surveying it unsurely. God he wasn't ready for this.

"Why didn't you just come by my flat?" He asked desperately, trying to make himself feel better by putting blame on her.

"I couldn't remember where it was. It was dark when we got there and it was still dark when I left."

"You could have looked it up – you could have found me if you really wanted to," he insisted, still grasping for some sort of excuse.

"You have that flat so that 'you' don't exist – how the hell was I supposed to find that? It's not like it's listed anywhere."

"I guess you have a point," he admitted knowing full well that he had hidden himself completely in that flat. He was kicking himself for that now. He was kicking himself for a lot of things. Slumping forward Draco felt the picture slip through his finger as he cupped his head in his hands.

"Draco, are you all right?" She asked resting her hand supportively on his back. He jerked away from her touch for the second time. He didn't want to feel her hand on him, think about that amazing night they had, and forget what he was facing, "obviously not."

"Of course not – you've had four months to get use to this idea, I've had what – twenty minutes?"

"Actually two and a half months to get use to this idea and honestly I'm scared out of my mind. But I can't walk away from this – I don't have that option."

"That's still longer then I've had."

"That's true."

"I don't think I'm ready for this," he told her honestly. "I'm not cut out to be a father, I'm not ready. I've only just begun to figure out who I really am, largely because of you."

"I'm not ready for it either, but this is what's happening. In five months I'm going to give birth to our daughter and I'm going to be a mother, whether I'm ready or not. You however can walk away."

"What are you talking about walk away?" He asked shaking his head. "That's my child as well; I couldn't just abandon her or you." His pride wouldn't let him do that. He was from a noble family that didn't just abandon its responsibility.

"Well since you aren't the pregnant one in this, it is technically possible," she explained. "Draco if this is going to be too much for you I want you to leave now because I can't get more attached to you then I already am."

"No Ginny – I won't do that to you. At the very least I'll support you; you deserve that much from me."

"I don't want you're money!" she insisted, her temper rising in seconds. "I can take care of myself and this child on my own!"

"I wasn't saying you couldn't," Draco assured her looking deeply into her eyes, for the first time in months. "I was just saying I'd help."

"Sorry," Ginny apologized. "I've been overreacting a lot lately, but I'm told that's normal."

"It's all right," he said waving it off. She'd not done any harm.

"No it's not; you were only saying you'd help me, but thank you for understanding," she muttered, looking down to her lap. He reached across the couch to her and caressed her cheek softly. She leaned into his touch as silent tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. He didn't understand why she was crying, but he got the sense that she didn't either.

"Don't cry – don't cry because of me," he insisted moving so he was sitting right next to her. She looked up at him, her eyes watery and a bit puffy, and her cheeks quickly turning red. He grimaced; for some reason, it hurt him to see her so clearly in pain. Wiping her cheeks tenderly he tried to stop the tears, but the kept coming. Leaning in he kissed her cheeks, tasting her salty tears on his lips.

"Draco," Ginny breathed moving her face back a bit so she could look into his eyes.

"Just stop crying – I can't stand to see people crying and seeing you do it hurts me more then I can stand. I don't want to see you in pain." She smiled weakly at him, seeing that he truly cared for her. Leaning back into him she met his lips with her own. She let her fingers lace through his hair, pulling his body towards hers.

Her mood was changing so fast that he could barley keep up, but the way she was affecting his body already he was quickly losing control. One thought though made it through the haze of lust filling his mind. Would the baby be safe? "Should we be doing this?" He asked.

"I don't think I could stand it if we didn't," Ginny admitted her hands quickly running down his abs towards his trouser front.

"But what about the baby?" He asked; voicing his concerns and stopping her hand form progressing any further. He'd done noting but thinking of Ginny for the past four months, her half naked body enveloped in black satin. He wanted her, God how he wanted her, but he didn't want to risk hurting her to satisfy himself.

"She'll be fine, but if you don't touch me soon I might just explode – and not in the good way." She said forcefully moving one of his hands to her chest – making her desire clear. He smiled at her and squeezed the soft flesh under his hand as he continued to kiss her lustfully.

"Wait Draco," she said suddenly as he began trailing kisses down her neck. She _couldn't _be changing her mind again.

He stopped, reluctantly, turning his eyes up to her and giving her a very annoyed look, "I thought you wanted this?"

"I do, but not here," she said pushing him off her a bit, "in my dreams, when you came to me; we were always in my bed."

"If that's what you want," he growled lustfully seeing a mischievous glint in her eyes. He moved off her quickly and reached out his hand to help her up.

"Come with me," she said breathlessly.

Always one to be obliging he began to follow her down the hall; he'd been dreaming of her for four months and here she was right in front of him, wanting the same thing he was wanting. He followed her up stairs and down two more hallways until finally she pushed open a door and they were there; her perfectly made bed calling to them.

He barley had time to take the rest of the room in before he felt her kiss him; bringing his attention immediately back to her. His lips parted quickly, longing to feel her tongue dance with his again. She slid a hand down his body to his trouser front, for the second time that day. This time he didn't stop her. He gladly let her pull open his belt and free him of his ever more confiding trousers.

Taking the initiative, he quickly divested himself of his clothing and helped free Ginny from hers. Completely naked their bodies came together again as he led her wordlessly to her bed. She lay herself down gently and watched as he crawled up next to her.

Laying his body at her side, he began to run his lips gently across her face, moving slowly down her neck. He pressed his lips to the flesh between her supple mounds and moved generously from one breast to the other.

Her hands roamed his body, over his hardening nipples, down the well-defined muscles of his abdomen, until her fingertips brushed against his erection. She stimulated the pulsating flesh, evoking grateful moans from Draco.

His hands journeyed the soft curves of her body, probing and pleasing, discovering her most elusive parts, and following his hands with his mouth. Licking and kissing every inch of her body, making her writhe against his touch.

Their demand for each other growing stronger with each caress; he knew the time had come. He ran his hand down the inside of her thigh, gently coaxing her legs apart. Moving himself into position above her, his eyes locked with hers as he brought himself into her.. She eagerly took him in, her pleasure-ridden body arching towards his, as he filled her. Moving purposefully he felt bliss fill his body as the both started towards the wonders end.

"Oh, Draco…oh…I'm" she moaned as words failed her and cardinal pleasure won out. He could feel himself quickly joining her, not wanting the ecstasy of their coupled bodies to end, but knowing he couldn't last.

"Gin…oh, God…" he grunted, releasing himself into her.

He stayed motionless above her for a few moments, letting the last pleasures ripple through both of them. When his breathing returned to normal he removed himself, laying at her side again and allowing her to make herself comfortable against him. Her head came to rest against her chest as he moved his arm around her back, holding her close, like he had that night.

"I think we've been in this position once before, or rather, one very much like it," he said running his pale fingers gently through her fiery red hair; the contrast fascinating the artist in him. She nodded her head in agreement, but didn't speak. She was perfectly content just lying next to him, her head on his chest, feeling his strong arm resting on her back. Ginny felt safe in his arms just then and a part of her never wanted to move again.

"Draco," she said as a sudden idea struck her. "Will you come to my appointment with me today?"

"What?" He asked rubbing her back absentmindedly; she hadn't just asked him to go my appointment with him – why would she do that?

She sat up, so he could see the honesty in her eyes, and asked again, "will you come to my doctor's appointment today?" He looked up at her unbelieving, his fingers still mixed up in her hair.

"Are you serious?" He asked disbelievingly, not at all sure why he so desperately wanted that invitation to be genuine.

"Of course I am," Ginny promised him her hand finding his in her hair and moving it to her lower abdomen. "You are her father after all."

"I think I'd like that," he told her running his hand over her womb. The life inside her was a part of him and, though he didn't feel ready to be a father, he still felt drawn to it. A biological need to protect his offspring perhaps, he didn't know.

She smiled at him, "the appointment is at half past noon."

"How long will it last?" He asked working the timing out in his head; he'd told Megan he'd take the paintings to her by one.

"Half an hour to forty-five minutes – depending on how it goes."

"Well, that's out," he muttered to himself. He'd have to phone Megan and tell her he'd be later then expected. Since it was already eleven he wouldn't make it there before the appointment.

"What?"

"I told Megan that I would bring some paintings to the gallery at one," he explained, watching, very confused, as her face fell.

"Oh you can always come to the –" she began to say disappointedly, but he stopped her when he realized what she was going to say

"No Gin," he said shaking his head, "I just need to phone Megan and tell her I'll be late, I want to go to the appointment with you, I really do." Her smile quickly returned; she was very glad that he was choosing to be there for her and their child over his painting. She knew his art was the biggest part of his life and that he would choose her over it, even in this small way, showed that he cared about her in his way – whatever his way was.

"Thank you," she said softly, "I really want you to be there."

"Then it's good you invited me along," he said smirking. She rolled her eyes at his smirk and slid away from him – off the bed. "Where are you going?"

"To get ready, we have to be leaving soon."

"There's still an hour and a half."

"No, we have to leave in thirty minutes. I have to get to Harry and Hermione's house first – she has an appointment as well and it's my turn to drive them."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" He questioned, sitting up suddenly; the Potters had never been Draco's favorite people and the feeling was more the mutual.

"Do I think what is a good idea?" She asked, picking up the clothes that had been scattered around the room in the heat of passion.

"Taking me anywhere near your great protectors. I mean I assume they know that I'm the father and that you sent me that letter and that I didn't ever answer."

"No, they know you're the father, but they think you don't know. I told Hermione about the letter I sent you, but that it would take a while to get to you where you were," She explained to him. He still didn't like the sound of it, but at least they didn't think he had abandoned her. "Well, I have to take a shower now – since you've gotten me all sweaty."

He laughed, the Malfoy smirk playing about his lips at the mention of his sexual prowess, "it was you who initiated this," he reminded her gesturing between their naked bodies.

"No you kissed me first," she pointed out; she might have kissed him today, but he had kissed her out of the blue when last they were together; not that she minded.

"If you want to go that far back, it was you who insisted on posing nude."

"So, people have been posing nude for centuries it didn't always lead to sex."

"Most things seem to lead to sex between me and beautiful women," Draco mused, mussing up his hair; he'd had a great many nights with very beautiful women, none as wonderful as her though.

"Be careful or your head will get to big for your flashy little car," she warned, throwing her clothes into a laundry hamper as she walked into her bathroom. "Oh and bragging about your sexual conquests is not the way to impress a girl!"

Draco cringed to himself; he'd completely said the wrong thing. He'd have to go and apologize. Sliding to the edge of the bed and standing up he began to walk towards the bathroom, formalizing his apology in his mind, but stopped dead when he realized what he was doing. Since when did Malfoys apologize to women? More to the point, since when did Draco apologize at all? He didn't. He was brutally honest to women and if they were hurt it was their own issue. But Ginny was different, wasn't she? Yes, of course she was. She had reached out to a part of him he didn't even know existed and she meant something to him that no woman ever had before.

Whether Malfoys apologized or not he was going to this time. What he said had been out of line or at the very least, hurtful, and he didn't want to hurt her. When he walked into the bathroom he found that she'd already finished her shower. She was standing in front of her mirror wrapped in a white towel brushing out her long hair. Draco walked up behind her and put his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Listen Gin I'm sorry for what I said."

"Why you were just being honest?" She asked coldly pulling her shoulder away from him. "You weren't a virgin – well neither was I."

"We both have our pasts," he said leaning against the counter behind him; if she didn't want to touch her he wouldn't, "but that doesn't mean I have to flash mine about in front of you."

"You're not in any kind of relationship with me – you don't owe me anything."

"No we aren't, but we can be."

"Don't pity me. You don't want to date me; you'd miss out on all the beautiful women you get to have sex with."

"Gin, I've never apologized before. I'm not good at it. Can you just accept that I'm actually admitting I was wrong and stop being upset with me?"

"No I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know!" She exclaimed slamming her brush down onto the sink.

"Ginny," he said grabbing her shoulder and turning her around. "Gin – I've never been more attached to someone then I am to you and that has nothing to do with the child inside you. You're the only person who's ever affected me. You're the only person I've ever chased after."

"Is that your way of telling me I'm the best?" She asked her face splitting into a devilish grin.

"You're the best I've ever been with," he admitted, feeling oddly warm and fuzzy inside; yet another new feeling she brought out of him was the desire to be honest, no matter what.

"By the way I like what you've been calling me," she told him turning back to the mirror.

"What? Gin?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, Ginny is already a nick name, but I still like it."

"You like it because I came up with it," he informed her watching as she delicately curled her hair; wrapping strands of hair around her wand, holding there for a few seconds, and then letting go. With the wand removed the formerly wet hair fell down in soft dry curls.

Sensing his eyes on her, she glanced over her shoulder at him, "Find something interesting about this?"

"Not really, but I like watching you."

"That's understandable," she joked, "seeing as I'm the best."

Choosing to ignore her suddenly inflated ego he changed topics, "so if Ginny isn't your name, what is?"

"My full name is Ginevra."

"Ginevra? I've never heard anyone call you that before."

"Funny neither have I," she said frankly. She knew it was her name, but she didn't remember it ever being used. Maybe her Mum had used it when she misbehaved, but Ginny didn't remember. "You can use the shower if you want."

"All right, thanks, let me just pop home and grab some clean clothes."

"What, the clothes you were wearing aren't clean enough for you?" She teased but it was too late; he was gone before she had even opened her mouth. He was back ten minutes later, a new outfit in his arms. "Are you always this neurotic?"

"I happen to take pride in my appearance," he informed her putting his clothes onto the counter top.

"They only one I know who puts that much pride in their appearance is my sister-in-law."

"To be honest," he told her turning the shower on and testing the water. "I wanted something green and grey; if I'm going to be around Potter I might as well subliminally remind him that Slytherin won the match last Saturday."

"He doesn't need any reminding from you," she promised him as he stepped into the shower. "Hermione says he's been moping around about it all week. He's very upset."

"Good, but all the same," Draco muttered closing the shower door behind himself. Ginny smiled after him, knowing some things would just never change.

Fussing with her hair, to see that the curls were laying the way she wanted, she walked back into her bedroom to dress. She was half tempted to put on a red sweater and gold jewelry just to rile him a bit, but she resisted. It would be funny, but their exertions had gotten him in a good mood, why spoil it? Deciding to go with basic, and gloriously sliming, black she threw her towel to the floor and dressed. She was just pulling on her shoes when he stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed and ready to go.

"Are we taking my car or do you have one of your own?" He asked.

"How exactly are we going to fit two pregnant women and two grown men into your little car?" She questioned, as a means of answering him.

"What kind of car do you have?" He asked, realizing now that his first had been a stupid question. She would have to have a car if it was her turn to drive to the appointment.

"A very nice one that I happen to like," she said walking out of the room. "By the way did you phone Megan?"

"Yes I phoned her when I was getting my clothes," he answered following her.

"Just checking, I was going to offer to let you use my telephone before we left."

"You have a telephone?"

"Well, you do – that's a bigger shock," Ginny commented leading him back down through her house.

"I suppose that's true," Draco agreed, with his family's reputation for distrusting all thing muggle she had a point.

They came to the carport quickly and when she flicked the light on he was impressed by what he saw. This car was top quality, just like his; in fact it was made by the same company. Though hers, being an SUV, was a good bit bigger. The question that kept crossing his mind was how she could afford such a car, but he knew that was just the Malfoy family arrogance talking. For all Draco knew she could afford a fleet of these cars, it was unlikely, but it wasn't impossible.

Instinctively Draco walked to the driver side and was about to pull the handle when he realized what he was doing. "Sorry," he apologized, stepping away from the car, "force of habit."

"That's all right, you can drive. Assuming you know London I can direct you to their house. And assuming you're not going to drive this like it's your sports car."

"I won't," he promised letting her drop the keys into his hands.

"Good, I think driving like that might cause me to throw up, given my condition," she muttered stepping around the car. He unlocked the door and they climbed in at the same time.

"You have that morning sickness stuff?" He questioned, throwing his safety belt on and turning on the car.

"Not anymore," she told him, laughing slightly at his choice of words, strapping herself in. "Not since I entered my second trimester, but I do get motion-sick very easily and I never did before I was pregnant."

"Oh, listen Gin, I've told Megan that I had to go to an appointment with a friend and would come 'round when it was finished," he started to say as she pushed a button to open the carport so they could drive out.

"Uh huh," she said listening to him while making herself comfortable in the seat.

"I was just thinking that maybe you could come with me," he explained, starting down the road.

"I'd like that," Ginny said warmly, "oh and turn right up here," she added pointing to a junction in the road a few meters away.

The drive to the Potters was a quite one, she told him to turn every now and again, but other then that it was silent. He was trying to stay focused on driving and she was letting him. As it turned out the Potters were only a ten-minute drive from Draco's apartment, in a very posh neighborhood with a fenced in park that was shared by all the nearby houses. The arrogant side of him popped up again, only long enough to admit that he was impressed.

Ginny got out of the car quickly and had almost made it to the front door when she realized Draco hadn't followed her. Rolling her eyes she walked back to his side of the car and pulled his door open.

"They won't bite you know," she insisted pulling at his hand.

"You know everyone says that, I'm not worried about them biting, I don't intend on letting them get close enough to bite me. I'm worrying about them tearing my head off."

"I've already told you – they don't think ill of you, at least not any more then they did the last time you met. They don't know anything – they don't think you abandoned me or forced me away. Stop being so stubborn."

"All the same, they know I'm the father and I haven't been involved."

"I told them you were out of the country," Ginny confessed, "that you had to go to Italy on business and you wouldn't be back for a while. That's where they think you've been and that's why they think you haven't been involved. I was going to tell them today that I had lied, but now I don't have to."

"You sure they're not going to yell at me or try to string me up or anything."

"Not that I know of," she promised reaching across his lap and undoing his safety belt, "it's not as if you'll be around my brothers."

"Fine I'll go in, but I'm only doing this for you," he said reluctantly, stepping out of the car at last.

"I know," she assured him, "and I really do appreciate it."

"You should," he muttered stubbornly, letting Ginny lead him to the front door.

"I promise they'll be nice," she said ringing the bell, "it is Harry and Hermione after all."

"Well she slapped me once so that isn't very reassuring; besides what if they aren't polite, then what?" He asked, but before Ginny could answer the door was pulled open.

It was Hermione who'd opened the door, gasping loudly when she saw him standing there. "Ginny, um – you're late."

"Well, hello to you too, Mrs. Potter," Draco said smoothly, keeping down the sour tone that was trying to creep into his voice.

"I'm sorry Malfoy; I was just surprised to see you," Hermione said apologetically and then adding more to Ginny then Draco, "I didn't realize you were back in town."

"I didn't know either," Ginny told Hermione as she stepped back to let them in. "Draco came to my house this morning, that's when I found out."

"You can actually speak to me, I am in the room," he said irritably.

"We know that Draco," Ginny said patting his arm gently. They stood their awkwardly for a while, Hermione and Ginny were sharing a look that Draco didn't understand as he looked uncomfortably around the room, until his eyes hit on something familiar.

"You actually have it up," Draco muttered to himself, he'd been told that they had it in their front hall, but actually seeing it was amazing. He pushed past them to stand directly in front of the largest painting he'd ever created. Images from his past swirled together on a canvas several meters in height and width. It was a complicated mess of pictures that not even Draco fully understood.

"Um, yes, do you know of the artist?" Hermione asked stepping up next to Draco, seeing a glimmer of hope for normal conversation.

"You didn't tell her?" Draco asked turning to look at Ginny.

"I promised I wouldn't, didn't I?"

"But with things being how they are, I thought maybe…"

"No Draco, I keep my word."

"What are you two on about?" Hermione asked looking from one of them to the other. Draco looked to Ginny, but she shook her head at him and motioned for him to tell Hermione. It was his life after all.

"I don't just know the Silver Dragon, I am the Silver Dragon." Draco explained turning to Hermione. "I've been painting under that name for the past three years."

"What?" Hermione asked with a surprised laugh.

"I told you she'd laugh," Draco reminded Ginny.

"I wasn't laughing at you – I was just surprised. I can't believe you were right Ginny. Did you know he was the Silver Dragon when you said that to me?"

"No, I was only guessing."

"Well, Malfoy you're very talented, I adore the pieces of yours that we have. Harry hung that painting that looks like Hogw – but no, it actually is Hogwarts isn't it?"

"Yes."

"It really is amazing, but like I was saying Harry hung it in our bedroom, he loved it so much."

"What did I love so much?" Harry asked bounding down the stairs jovially, obviously not seeing Draco.

"The painting I got you for our anniversary, the one of Hogwarts."

"You know I lo – what is he doing here?" Harry questioned as his eyes feel on Draco. He walked quickly down the remaining steps and walked over to Hermione; taking up the spot directly between she and Draco, like he was protecting her from something.

"I seem to remember you saying they'd be nice," Draco muttered to Ginny.

"Draco I'm sure he was just surprised to see you," Ginny said soothingly.

"Well it's not like I've got the bloody plague or anything," Draco snapped back. He knew it wasn't a good idea for Ginny to bring him here.

"I know Draco," Ginny said softly linking her arm through his and pulling him away from Harry and Hermione. "Listen, can I talk to you two in the next room?"

"Sure," Harry said taking Hermione's hand and leading her to a room down the hall a bit. Ginny followed after them quickly, casting an apologetic glance to Draco before pulling the door closed behind her. Draco looked stubbornly after them, they were being childish. He had no interest in renewing the old school rivalry or even being a part of their lives – he was only at their house for Ginny and even they should be able to see that.

"I don't believe you two," Ginny's voice said from that next room. Looking closely Draco could see that she had left the door open slightly. Did she want him to hear or had it just been an accident? Never one to miss an opportunity he stepped closer to the door so he could here them clearly.

"What do you mean _us two_?" Harry asked, obviously not seeing anything wrong with the way he was acting.

"The way you were both treating him. He's no threat to you. He's only come here today because of me."

"We know that," Harry muttered, "he wouldn't be here for us."

"Now see, that's the attitude I would expect from my brothers. That is the father of my child out there and he's taking a big step being here _for me _and you're treating him like you're still fifteen-years-olds at Hogwarts."

"You're the one who chose to sleep with him," Hermione reminded her.

"I know that and I have no problem with that choice. And you know, you don't have to like him right away, you don't know him, hell he barely knows himself, but you can at least give him a chance. For my sake."

There was a long pause, but finally Hermione muttered, "all right."

"Besides, you do like at least one side of him," Ginny pointed out.

"That's true," Hermione agreed.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Ask him yourself," Ginny insisted.

Draco took that as his cue to step away and did so, just as Harry was pulling open the door. Harry didn't look at all pleased, but he did seem, at the very least, less hostile. It was easy to see that Harry had no idea what to say; well Draco didn't no what to say either. Tension was quickly building up. Even after Draco had decided to fight with Harry and not against him the two of them had never been able to be civil to each other.

Getting a sudden idea Draco stepped away from Harry and over to the painting on the wall; it had made conversation once – it could work again. "This is my favorite bit right here," Draco said, pointing out a small area with his finger. In minute detail Draco had depicted the night he'd came to the Order of the Phoenix. It was almost impossible to see unless you were looking for it, but it was there.

"What?" Harry asked stepping up next to the painting.

"You see this?' Draco asked pointing to the area again.

"Yes," Harry said not understanding what he was talking about.

"It took forever to paint that bit. I had to use these tiny little brushes – I thought I'd go blind by the end, but I though it was important to add – it was the biggest moment in my life, until I found out about Ginny anyway."

"You did this?" Harry asked slowly cottoning on.

"Yes, it was the first thing I started once Hogwarts was over. It took nearly four years to finish."

"I may not be much of an art critic, but I have to tell you its brilliant."

"Thanks Potter," Draco said, knowing it took a lot for Harry to compliment him to his face.

Harry smiled uncomfortably, turning to Draco and holding out his hand he said simply, "It's Harry." Draco turned to face Harry, look suspiciously from his outstretched hand to his honest face. There was no trickery in this, just an honest attempt at starting over.

"All right, Harry, call me Draco," he said taking Harry's hand and shaking it firmly.

"Oh isn't that cute, and it only took eleven years," Ginny said from where she was standing with Hermione. Draco turned to look at her, framed in the doorway, the look on her face showing she was very pleased with herself.

"It's very sweet, but now we really are late," Hermione muttered rubbing her stomach affectionately. "Little Horatio is getting impatient."

"Horatio?" Draco questioned, looking back to Harry who shook his head sadly.

"You're not naming my son Horatio," Harry insisted.

"Laertes then?" Hermione suggested, smiling playfully at her frustrated husband.

"Yes Laertes Potter – that's a wonderful name," Harry said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He stepped across the hallway and took both of Hermione's hands in his. "What have you been reading this time?"

"Hamlet," Hermione said innocently. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes again.

"Every time Hermione reads something new they go through this," Ginny explained in a whisper to Draco, "she always wants to name their son after the characters. He had quite a fight on his hands when she decided the baby would be called Aragorn, but Harry did eventually win out."

"'Mione, my love," Harry began, "if you don't stop this I will personally get rid of every book in this house."

"You don't think it has a nice ring to it?"

"No," Harry stated frankly.

"All right, we won't name him Horatio or Laertes, maybe Romeo," Hermione teased, knowing full well Harry wouldn't like this suggestion either.

"No," Harry insisted, "no names from Shakespeare."

"If you say so love," Hermione agreed with a smile on her face.

"Why do I feel I won that too easily?" Harry asked as Hermione squeezed his hands and started to walk away from him.

"Probably because you did," Ginny commented patting Harry on the back as she stepped passed him and joined Hermione at the door.

"I would say you haven't won anything until the child is born and named, but I guess that's just my opinion." Draco said joining the women at the other end of the hall; leaving Harry by himself, looking very confused.

"You know, Draco, you're probably right," Harry admitted, his tongue tripping a bit on the name Draco, this being the first time he'd used it.

Hermione continued to smile at Harry sweetly, "Come along love, we really are late."

Still looking like he felt he'd missed something, Harry met the rest of them at the door and took the coat Hermione was holding out to him. Once Harry was ready the four of them piled out the front door. Halfway down the front steps Draco slipped the keys to Ginny. He was sure that since they were late it would be best for the driver to know where they were going.

There was hardly any traffic on the road, so they made good time; such good time in fact that they wound up not being late at all. The doctor's assistant, a nurse named Bethany, showed Harry and Hermione into Room 1 and then led Draco and Ginny into Room 2.

"Dr. Hearting will be with you shortly," Bethany informed them.

"Thank you Bethany," Ginny said sweetly as the nurse disappeared through the door.

"How can the doctor see both you and Hermione at the same time?" Draco asked as Ginny disappeared behind a folded screen.

"She can't. The nurses do part of the examine and then the doctor comes and finishes with you."

"Then why didn't she just say that's she'd be back shortly?"

"I don't know Draco, you'd have to ask her," she said emerging from behind the screen in what looked like a paper dress with a seam going down the middle of the front, just over her stomach.

"Oh that's attractive," he teased.

"I didn't design the thing," she informed him climbing up onto the examining table. He stood awkwardly to one side of the room, not knowing what to do with himself. "You can sit next to me," she pointed out, gesturing to a stool sitting next to the examining table.

"Right," Draco said nervously nodding his head and stepping towards her.

"There is no reason to be nervous; the Doctor's not going to examine you," she reminded him.

"I know, but I've never been to one of these places before or been in this situation before, it's all very new."

"Well don't worry," Ginny started to say as Nurse Bethany came back into the room. The nurse walked over to the far wall and began rummaging through cabinets pulling out things as she went. Ginny lowered her voice to a whisper and continued, "It's all perfectly routine for muggles."

"Yes, but we aren't muggles – it's not routine for us," Draco whispered back.

"So Ginny, how are we feeling today?" Nurse Bethany asked taking hold of Ginny's wrist and measuring for something.

"Wonderful," Ginny said with a smile looking devilishly to Draco.

"That's good to hear," Nurse Bethany said cheerfully, giving Draco the impression that the nurse wasn't actually listening. She relinquished Ginny's wrist and walked back to cabinets, she made a note of whatever it was she'd just done and came back towards them.

"Oh Bethany," Ginny said as Nurse Bethany took hold of Ginny's arm and tied something around it just above the elbow. "I don't believe you've met Draco Malfoy."

"No I don't think I have," the nurse said offhandedly sticking a needle into Ginny's arm, just at the inside of her elbow joint. Draco's mouth fell open in horror. What was this woman doing to Ginny?

"Bethany this is Draco, the father of my child."

"Oh, well, then it's good of you to be here," Nurse Bethany said attaching a smile tube to the needle in Ginny's arm. The tube quickly filled with blood. Draco couldn't believe what he was seeing; in his experience blood was best kept in the body.

"Um…yeah," Draco chocked out as Bethany put the first tube aside and repeated the process. His stomach felt like it was tying itself in knots. He wanted to look away from this, fearing that he'd be sick if he did, but he couldn't make his eyes move.

"Draco has been away on business, he only just came back this morning," Ginny lied; speaking as if this brutish woman wasn't pulling blood from her.

"Ah," Nurse Bethany said in comprehension filling the last of four tubes and stepping away again.

"That's barbaric," Draco whispered to Ginny when the nurse was out of earshot.

"It's normal," Ginny promised him.

"No it's not, blood is supposed to stay in the body."

"They have to run some test, that's all – they do that every time I come in."

"They do test's on your blood!"

"Yes, and don't worry she didn't take much out. I'm perfectly fine."

"If you say so," Draco muttered skeptically, not at all convinced any of this was safe. The Nurse continued to perform her tests, but Draco stopped trying to understand what was happening. These methods would never make sense to him and if they would be so barbaric to take blood he didn't want to know what else they would do.

After about fifteen minutes of tests from the nurse a new women came in. Draco could only assume this was the doctor. She dressed differently than the nurse and somehow looked more important. Maybe it was the long white coat.

"Hello again Ginny," the women said cheerfully.

"Hello Dr. Hearting," Ginny said back. "Draco this is Dr. Hearting – Doctor this is the father, Draco Malfoy."

"Oh, well, Mr. Malfoy I'm glad to finally meet you," Dr. Hearting said holding out her hand to him. He shook it and attempted to smile at her. She smiled back before tuning to Nurse Bethany and talking to her, presumably about the tests she'd just done.

"You're doing great," Ginny whispered kindly.

"Thanks," Draco muttered back, "do you think it's smart to be using our real names?"

"Of course, are names don't tell them anything. Unless they're squibs and if they are they certainly haven't let on." Draco nodded, trusting her judgment.

"Well, everything seems to be in order," Dr. Hearting informed them, turning back towards them as Nurse Bethany left the room. "You're blood pressure has gone back down, you'll remember it was a little elevated last time."

"Yeah," Ginny said.

"Let's just see how she is then shall we?" Dr. Hearting suggested pulling a cart towards them.

"The ultrasound machine," Ginny whispered to Draco.

"Oh," Draco said surprised that the little machine on the cart could do what Ginny had told him the ultrasound machine could do.

"I take it you don't have much experience with this sort of stuff," Dr. Hearting said smiling kindly at Draco.

"None at all, actually," Draco informed her honestly.

"Well, what this is going to do is give us a picture of your daughter," Dr. Hearting explained, Draco nodded his head; Ginny had already explained that much to him. Pushing the seam of the Ginny's paper dress apart, Dr. Hearting squirted a clear gel onto Ginny's exposed stomach.

"I don't think I'll ever get use to how cold that is," Ginny said, shuddering slightly.

"I don't think anyone ever does," Dr. Hearting laughed, pulling an oddly shaped wand from the side of the machine and putting it to Ginny's stomach. The Doctor flipped a switch next to the black screen and that rhythmic thumping, that Draco now recognized as his daughter's heart beat, began to fill the small space of Room 2.

Draco gasped audibly as the screen came to life. The picture in front of him was almost exactly the same as the one Ginny had showed him, but it was moving. A small area just bellow what he recognized as the head was flashing in time with the rhythmic thumbing noise. It was her heart; her tiny little heart pumping life through her veins. Almost on instinct Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and held it tight. It was so amazing.

"I knew it would be a good idea to bring you along," Ginny said her face splitting into the biggest smile the world had ever seen.

"It's just so amazing – that's her?"

"Yes, that is actually her."

"And she's waving to you," Dr. Hearting said as one of the little hands on the screen moved ever so slightly back and forth.

"Oh my God," Draco gasped again, his hand squeezing Ginny's.

"She's developing beautifully," Dr. Hearting said taking down notations of some kind, "right on track."

"Apparently I'm good at growing babies," Ginny announced to the room in general.

"I would expect nothing less," Draco said truthfully.

"All right," Dr. Hearting said switching the monitor off and tucking the wand away, "the only thing we have left to do now is weigh and measure you."

"Oh, my favorite bit," Ginny stated sarcastically as Dr. Hearting wiped her stomach clean of the gel. When Ginny's stomach was gel-free the doctor pulled out a measuring tape and measured the length of Ginny's stomach, from one side of the bump to the other. Dr. Hearting took down Ginny's measurements and helped her sit up and "hop" down off the table.

"Tell you what I won't say it out-loud," Dr. Hearting said helping Ginny up onto the scale.

"Oh please don't," Ginny pleaded closing her eyes so she didn't have to look, "I don't even want to know."

"Well, Ginny, that's it. We're all done for this month," Dr. Hearting said writing down Ginny's weight. "Though you're still a little underweight, you need to be eating more."

"I'll try, but it's always been hard for me to put on weight," Ginny insisted stepping behind the folded screen to get dressed.

"I know Ginny; Draco, take her out for some nice right food, that'll put the necessary weight on her." Dr. Hearting said as she was leaving the room.

"I'll get right on that," Draco promised.

Ginny emerged from behind the screen two minutes later and smiled at Draco, who genuinely smiled back. She stepped across the room to him and took one of his hands softly in his. Wordlessly Draco brought their linked hands up to his chest and wrapped his other arm around her; bring her body up next to his. Her head came to a gentle rest against his chest. He kissed the top of her head softly and they stood there, both in awe of the miracle they had created.

They could have stayed that way for hours if they'd had the time, but then she remembered that Harry and Hermione were probably out there waiting for them and broke the embrace. She brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed it delicately, he let her lead him back out into the lobby where indeed the Potters were waiting for them. Still holding onto Draco, Ginny walked over to the receptionist's desk and made an appointment for next month.

While they were standing there Dr. Hearting appeared behind the receptionist and handed Draco a string of pictures she's taken during the ultrasound. She apologized for forgetting about them during the exam and reminded Draco again to help Ginny put on a bit more weight. Never in his life did Draco think he'd actually want to participate in helping a woman put on weight. But he wanted his daughter to be healthy; if that meant her mother putting on a few pounds he'd do his best to help the process along.

They drove back to the Potters house without many words. Draco couldn't drag his eyes away from the pictures Dr. Hearting had put in his hand; his perfect little girl, growing healthy and strong inside the beautiful witch sitting next to him. Thinking about it all Draco almost brought himself to the edge of tears and Malfoys never cried. When had he gotten so emotional? Was this part of becoming who he really was? Or was this just because of the special circumstances he now found himself in? He would have asked Harry if this was something all soon to be fathers went though, but when he turned to the backseat he found it empty.

"Where did they go?" Draco asked, finally snapping out of the trance he'd been in.

"I dropped them off almost a half hour ago. We're coming up on my house as we speak."

"I missed that entirely."

"I sensed you had important things on your mind so we didn't bother you when we go to their house."

"Oh, well, I did have important things on my mind I guess, I was thinking about her," Draco explained as Ginny pulled her car into her carport.

"I figured as much, I was about as stunned the first time I saw her like that."

"I didn't realize we'd be able to see her heart beating like that – it was just incredible," Draco said as they stepped out from either side of the car.

"I know," Ginny assured him. She could still clearly remember the first ultrasound she'd seen, when her baby hadn't quite looked like a baby yet. The only thing that reassured her, her little one was in fact human was that rapidly beating heart.

"You still up for going to the gallery?" Draco asked stepping into her kitchen, just off the carport.

"Of course, I've been looking forward to it."

"Well then let me just pop back to my flat and get the paintings," Draco said kissing Ginny's cheeks and disapparating. She smiled at where he'd just been standing and plunked down onto one of her kitchen stools. Her elbow slumped onto the counter top she was sitting at and her head rested gently in her hand. One of her hands covered her stomach softly; she was content in that moment and she wasn't even entirely sure why.

The two of them had made no decisions. They weren't dating. They weren't in love. They certainly weren't any of the wonderful things she'd thought she would be with the father of her first child. But for some reason him being simply near her was making her happy, like maybe they could actually work it out, maybe they could be together.

Draco popped back into Ginny's kitchen fifteen minutes after he'd left with a large bag in his hand. She didn't seem to notice that he'd returned; she was staring off into space, a deliriously happy look on her face. He observed her carefully. Watching her beautiful red curls as they rose and fell softly with her breathing. Her perfect pink lips parted ever so slightly, she was obviously thinking of something. A perverted side of his mind thought of several things she could be thinking of, but he quickly brushed those thoughts aside. He waved his hand in front of her face jovially in an attempt to catch her attention. It worked, after a while, her eyes focused on the hand in front of her and she was brought out of her thoughts.

"That was quick," she commented lifting her body off the stool. He shrugged his shoulders casually; it wasn't a difficult task to shrink up paintings and put them in a bag.

"Shall we go then?" He questioned.

"Yes, all right," she agreed, following him back out to the carport. Proceeding under the impression that Draco would be driving to the gallery Ginny started towards the passenger side of the car. She was very surprised when he followed her. She looked at him quizzically; did he mean for her to drive?

He answered her internal question by opening the passenger door and motioning for her to step inside. He was doing that opening doors thing he'd done for her that first night they were together. It was odd when he picked his moments to be polite.

"Do you open doors for all your women or is this special treatment just for me?" She asked jokingly stepping into the car

"Since when are you mine?" He questioned, closing her door as she buckled herself in. That was an interesting questioned; which she had a chance to answer when he opened the trunk of the car.

"I suppose at this moment in time I'm at least one of your girls, whether you're counting me or the one I'm carrying."

"I guess that's true, though I've never thought of women as possessions."

"That's good, you shouldn't, we're not, but I think your daughter could count as someone that is _yours_." He merely shrugged his shoulders again, not knowing what to say in response to that. Women weren't possessions; he'd know that since he was a child. It was probably the only descent thing his father had ever taught him. "What are you doing back there?"

"Packing up the paintings," he explained simply and with a wave of his wand the back of the car was filled with full sized paintings. It suddenly made sense; he'd shrunk them to put them in the bag and brought them back to there original size in the back of the car so he wouldn't have to use magic at the gallery.

"Very smart," she complimented him as he climbed into the driver's seat.

"I thought it was quite clever," he said proudly. She shook her head in laughter; she'd have to be very careful with what she said around him since even the slightest compliment was likely to inflate his ego.

The drive to the gallery went quickly and so did delivering the paintings. Meagan was there, eagerly awaiting this newest bunch that was sure to make them all rich, especially after the unplanned hiatus. Apparently she'd already made a few calls to the press to announce the showing and there was already a buzz in the community.

When Megan wasn't busy fussing about the new show she cast inquisitive looks to Ginny, but Draco refused to elaborate on their relationship. He simply called Ginny his friend and kept changing the subject back to the show. He had no idea what Ginny and he were so there was no point in trying to explain it to Megan.

"Well that said and done," Draco said when they at last stepped out of the gallery, "there is a shop I'd like to take you too."

"Oh really?"

"Yes and it's just down this way," he informed her, steering them both to the left. "I've been thinking, how do you like the name Alisa?"

"Alisa Malfoy – I think that's absolutely perfect."

"You'd give her the name Malfoy?" Draco asked; surprised that someone who liked him would have such a generous nature. They weren't married, they didn't have any sort of relationship before she got pregnant; she could have easily denied him any rights and give their daughter his name.

"Of course, she is your daughter," she answered without hesitation.

"Even if I'd never come back?" He asked helping her step around a particularly big puddle that had been left after the storm.

"She still would have been yours; she deserves to have her father's name. It's a strong name, no matter the connotation that comes with it," Ginny explained as he stopped in front of a darkly tinted glass door. He smiled one of his rarely genuine smiles, and opened the door behind him. Apparently they had arrived.

The second she stepped through the door her jaw dropped. It was a jewelry store. She knew that the second she saw the glass cases lining the walls. "Why did you bring me here?" She asked when he stepped into the store a few moments after her.

He didn't answer her. He simply took her hand and led her towards the case at the wall opposite the door. She was completely floored when she saw the case was full of rings.

"Mr. Malfoy, how nice to see you again," one of the attendants said stepping up to the case where they were standing.

"Yes Bryan, it's been a number of years," Draco said not looking up from the rings in the case.

"What can I help you with today; do you need your ring repaired again?" Bryan asked. Draco fidgeted nervously with the ring in question, but shook his head. Bryan was referring to the Malfoy family-crest which Draco still wore on his right hand; despite everything he'd been through he couldn't make himself part with it.

"No it's in perfect order; I'm actually here to purchase something," Draco informed Bryan looking up from the case, "I'd like to have a closer look at those." Draco motioned to three rings, all very beautiful. Bryan nodded his head and pulled a set of keys out of his pocket. He unlocked the case and pulled the rings out, placing each of them carefully on a piece of black velvet.

Draco examined each of the rings carefully and nodded his head thoughtfully, "yes definitely one of these. Gin, let me see your right hand."

Ginny held out her right hand and he slid the first ring onto her middle finger. It was a gold ring with a wide band and a deep red, round cut stone. The ring was just the right size for her finger, but after examining her hand from every possible angle he saw that it didn't fit her; it looked overtly flashy on her finger and he didn't like the gold tone on her skin. He shook his head no and took the ring away. The second, a narrow banded silver ring with three diamonds, quickly went the way of the first. It still wasn't what he was looking for. He liked the silver color better on her, but the diamonds were to plain, she disserved something colorful.

Finally he slid the third ring on and knew instantly it was prefect. It was the silver he liked, wide banded like the first, but this band had the added touch of a vine-like pattern carved into it, an elegant detail that he enjoyed. The ring was finished off nicely by three square cut light-pink stones mounted at the center.

"Prefect," Draco said nodding his head approvingly.

"You do carry it well," Bryan asserted, though Draco was sure that he was only saying that to make a sale.

"How much?" Draco asked.

"With taxes," Bryan said punching buttons on a hand-held muggle machine, "it would come to seven thousand three hundred pounds even."

"That's reasonable," Draco said pulling out his wallet, he retrieved the necessary notes, and reached them across the counter.

"You can't spend that much on me," Ginny insisted, putting her hand on his arm, stopping it from making it all the way to Bryan.

"It's my money, I'll spend it they way I want to," Draco informed her brushing her hand aside and paying for the ring.

"But you don't owe me anything," she promised him trying to slid the ring from her finger before he could pay for it. But too late, before she could stop the transaction Bryan was handing Draco his receipt. It was all done and paid for.

"Thank you for you custom," Bryan said happily, he would probably get a rather large commission for selling that ring.

"And thank you for your assistance," Draco said, taking Ginny's hand he led her back out of the shop.

"You really shouldn't have," Ginny insisted.

"I didn't have to, I wanted to. You're carrying my child, think of this as my way of thanking you," he explained shortly as they walked back to her car. She was irritating him greatly; he'd been trying to give her something nice and she didn't even appreciate it.

"I guess if you put it that way," she said after a while, admiring the ring.

"Well, I'm glad you'll put up with it if you have to," he said sharply as they came to the car.

"No, I love it, I do, it's exquisite, but it was so expensive," she said suddenly when he pulled her door open. He rolled his eyes and exhaled unrestrainedly, she was trying to appease him and he wouldn't be won over that easily. If he'd have bought that for any other woman they'd have jumped him, not that he'd given it to her to get her back in bed with him, but he did expect a little appreciation; that he didn't have to prompt her for that is.

"I would say that wasn't an issue, but I have a feeling you'd take that as bragging," he said roughly, closing the door with a snap.

That did sound like bragging, even to him, but he didn't care. His pride had been insulted by the way she tried to refuse the gift. It wasn't like he'd tried to propose to her or something ridiculous like that, he'd only tried to give her a gift and a nice one at that.

"I really do love it Draco," she insisted when he got into the car.

"I'm sure your not just saying that," he said unkindly voicing his annoyance. He started the car and put it into drive forcefully. Not only was he taking his annoyance out on her he was taking it out on her car as well.

"I'm not," she promised him, her tone growing sharp. "I don't just say things to make people happy. I never have."

"Yet you didn't love it until you sensed I was annoyed with you," he insisted speeding down the road.

"No, I loved it the second you slid it onto my finger, but I don't need expensive things like this."

"I'll be sure not to make that mistake again," he yelled.

"You are such a cocky ass," she yelled back, saying things she knew would sting. "You expected me to just melt because you spent money on me. Well, let me tell you, you were doing much better with me before you bought it."

"Oh I didn't know I had to win you over; it was you, after all, who invited me into your bed."

"You bastard," she cried pulling the ring off her finger and throwing it violently to the floor. The car fell silent after that. They both felt like they had nothing to say to the other – ever again. Draco knew he'd gone too far by implying that she was loose, but he didn't care; as far as he was concerned she'd stepped over the line by implying he was trying to buy her affection.

As soon as the car was parked in her carport he was out of it and storming down the drive. His car was parked just off the drive and the sooner he got to it the sooner he could get away from her and make them both happy.

"And to think I was starting to love you!" Ginny yelled after him as he got into his car. If she was trying to hurt him it wouldn't work.

He didn't care how she felt. At least that's what he told himself as he violently slammed his door. He drove off as soon as he could get the car into gear and noticed she was watching him leave. Standing solemnly in the middle of her drive, her arms folded stubbornly across her chest. Draco watched her until she was out of sight, sure this was the last time he'd ever see her.

**AN:** And now I'm off to write part three... again let me know what you thought, I do enjoy hearing from all of you and with any luck part three will come quicker then part two did

**PS**: I will be leaving The Challenge up as a one-shot by it's self, because, well, I want to – it's that simple (though this version has been edited a bit since I posted it originally) To those of you who reviewed The Challenge already(and are reading this for whatever reason), I promise I will include you guys in the review responses for part three

Now to those review responses for part one:

**Miss Manda** – Why thank you :D, I hope you like Part Two as much **The Redhead Witch** – I'll never stop writing, I can promise you that, sorry I kept you waiting for so long, but it's a long part two so that should make you happy **bigreader** – I hope you didn't stab yourself with that giant spoon yet – I'd be sad if you never got to read part two **angelsweets** : ) **iamdraco'sgal** – I could just see him needing a creative outlet like that **stephanie –** Thanks, yeah it was referring to Titanic – I just couldn't help myself, there is even kind of a reference to Titanic in this part too (at least I think of Titanic when ever I read it), but it's so small if you blinked while reading it you missed it **Kelley-SnapeGurl** – thank you – that's amazing to hear **Lelimo **thank you **SomethingsWicked** : ) **AmericanGirl15** – thanks, as for the 2 things; 1) yeah sorry about that I just missed picking up on them when I read it over 2) If it was a story with chapters it would move slower, but since it's a series of one-shots it has a faster pace, but like I said in the author's note at the beginning I didn't really explain that so it's my fault. Hope you liked part two **beckysue2** – Now that's a dream – I wish I could dash these off in a day, but sadly no **Morena Evensong** – Luckily she didn't pick that one since it was upside down – it didn't make any sense to her and the boys don't get to know about the painting until part three **Laiane** – thank you **Emily Watson** – I hope you still like the relationship **x0Malfoy0x** – Nah, he isn't once she's explained **Mrs.HarryPotter12** – I tried to hurry, but it did take a while longer then expected – sorry about that **KMK** – kind of, the painting that inspired her to pose nude was supposed to be a copy of the Titanic drawing **Drago** : ) **ScreamingChild** – ah, but they aren't chapters they are stories all to themselves so there you go (sorry again for not explaining that last time) **dementorchic** – I didn't mean to leave you dying – I hope you lived long enough to read part two **Magica** – I try – I'll try to write part three faster then I wrote part two **LadyOctober** – Yeah I get what you mean – honestly though, I was a little surprised by that too **cory** : ) **pistachio-knut **– I actually have a beta, but thanks for the offer, I know that I didn't explain it well last time, but as I said in the author's note in the beginning, this is a series of one-shot not a story with a chapters, that's why there it so much** lina** : ) **princessunicornkyla665** – thank you very much for saying I'm talented. I hope you enjoyed part two **ColossalSky** – thank you – I will continue this story until it is finished, this I promise ** Americasweetie** : ) **Ankesh** : ) **SilverandSilent **: ) **Rebuky** – you my beta and I are both working on that, it's one of those mistakes I make sometimes **chic'n chik** – I do try – next time, I'll try harder **banana84** – : ) **little-munchkin-poo** – well thank you, I plan on writing several stories so it's nice to know I'll have at least one reviewer. Yeah I always read it before I post it, but sometimes I read what it's supposed to say and not what it actually says – if that makes any sense **frittle** : ) **Harryswoman** – I'm trying **AtwistedAngel13** – There are no chapters here – only sequels and a an epilogue **sillibanana **: ) **Lady Ghost Buster **: ) **power of the stars** : ) **chalkandgatorade **: ) **Bungle-in-the-Jungle** : ) **A** : ) **icicle7** : ) **Rachel Tessen** : ) **elyse** – I did try to do it quicker, but it took a while **j** – of course I do


	3. The Change

**AN:** Just because all my stories are going to have to have this now: This story doesn't follow book six and not because I didn't like, but because all my story ideas came before book six came out. Thank you and enjoy!

The Change

The old clock in the hallway was chiming midnight – loudly. And if the clock said it was midnight that meant that it had been three months; three months to the day since he'd seen Ginny. Pulling himself up from the desk that had once been his fathers, Draco walked somberly to the mantel piece. He let his arm come to rest on the ancient wood and his head quickly followed, falling heavily against his arm.

How had he let this happen? How had three months passed since he'd seen her? How had he let himself say such horrible things to her out of fear? Because he realized now that his words had come from his own fears. He feared being a father; he hadn't exactly had the best example of a father figure growing up and he worried that, given the chance, he'd be the same towards his own child. He also feared his feelings for Ginny. He had no idea what he felt for her. He knew he cared about her, but was it more than that? He had absolutely no idea. He'd never cared about anyone other than himself; he was raised to believe he didn't need to, but Ginny meant something to him. No matter how he tried to deny it, she'd somehow slipped past his defenses.

He was a mess now because he'd let his fear get the best of him and all he wanted to do was be near her again. Draco wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted to feel their daughter move inside her. He wanted her, every part of her. But that would never happen. She would never forgive him for implying she was a slut and he didn't blame her. There was something amazing between them that he'd cheapened by what he said. Oh how he longed to take those words back. He didn't think of her like that, he never could. But the words had been said and even with all the magic in his body could never change that. No matter how he wanted to.

Not only was he a mess because of her absence, but his life was as well. He was forced to empty his flat and relocated himself to his ancestral home because the studio held only memories of her. And he would chose the painful memories of his childhood over the thoughts of her any day; thoughts of her only reminded him that he didn't have her and, most likely, he never would again.

She'd affected his work as well. He couldn't concentrate when he was supposed to be managing the Malfoy holdings. Meetings of money and investments, which had barely held his interest to begin with, now nearly bored him to tears. He could almost hear her voice in his head, reminding him that he didn't want to be there; telling him that he wanted to work on his art, not direct money that had been appropriated by Malfoys who'd been dead a great many years.

But he couldn't work on his craft. He hadn't painted in months. He hadn't been able to. A block had formed in his mind, effectively stopping his mind, and he had a very good idea of what that block was. Her; it all came back to Ginny. He couldn't get his mind off her and when his mind was on her it didn't want to be anywhere else.

Forcing himself to stand up, away from the mantel, Draco rubbed his eyes exhaustedly. He was completely worn out. Last night he'd dreamed of her. A very erotic dream, like he hadn't had since he was a lustful teenager. And he found it very difficult to sleep after he had a dream like that about her. But really those dreams came to him most nights; he should be use to them by now.

Deciding that he was so tired he'd risk having another dream, Draco stepped out of his office and headed to his bedroom. Once there he slipped out of his clothes and slid into the lavish sheets of his massive bed. His heavy lids fell almost the second his head met the pillow, and he found himself almost praying that when he woke up in the morning, none of this would be real.

His prayers weren't answered.

For one, he didn't awaken in the morning. He was forced out of his dreams, a mere three hours after he went to sleep, by a loud banging on his front door. And as he discovered when he finally made it downstairs, everything was in fact real. He pulled open his heavy front door to find Harry Potter on the other side, looking exhausted and slightly frantic.

Draco looked suspiciously at Harry, but saw nothing to mistrust. If only to be civil, he stepped back from the door and allowed Harry in. "What, may I ask, are you doing at my house at three in the morning?"

"I'm not here by choice, believe me," Harry assured him, stepping into the Manor's front hall. "This is the last place I'd choose to be tonight."

"Well, I certainly didn't invite you – so what options does that leave us?"

"I was sent," Harry said bluntly, clearly not in the mood for banter.

"By God?" Draco offered, enjoying the look of annoyance on Harry's face.

Harry rolled his eyes in frustration, "No Malfoy, not by God, by Ginny."

"What?" Draco questioned, dropping his game.

"You remember her, the woman you got pregnant and abandoned."

"I didn't abandon her," Draco insisted.

"Oh, you didn't? Well, what would you call what you did?"

"We got into an argument, no a fight and – wait how is this any of your business? What happened between Gin and me is between the two of us. Just tell me why she sent you here and didn't just come herself."

"She didn't come herself because she can't. And she sent me because if she sent one of her brothers they would kill you, like I am tempted to do, but won't."

"What do you mean she can't come here herself?" Draco asked hastily, ignoring the idle threat. "Is something wrong?"

"She's gone into labor," Harry explained.

"What! But she can't have – it's too early."

"It's much too early, but it's happened and for some reason she's asking for you."

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place, we've wasted time talking," Draco asserted, suddenly understanding Harry's frantic look; a look he was sure he now shared. He rushed to the door, but Harry didn't follow him, "well what are you waiting for Potter – take me to her."

Harry stared quizzically at Draco, "Don't you think you should get dressed first?"

Looking down at himself Draco remembered that he was only wearing boxers and his silk dressing gown, "Right. I'll be back." He disappeared up the stairs quickly and came back, not two minutes later, dressed all in black, looking a bit like a mourner at a funeral. He took his black, fur lined cloak off the stand in the hall and returned to where Harry was standing. "Now, take me to her."

Harry didn't appear to act right away, as he pulled folded piece of news print out of his pocked. But then he pulled out his want, pointed it at the paper in his hand, and muttered, "_Portus._"

Draco doubted that even the great Harry Potter had permission to make Portkeys whenever he liked, but at the moment he didn't care. His mind was on Ginny and getting to her, so if Potter wasn't worried about breaking the law why should Draco be concerned. "The Portkey will take us to a side alley next to the hospital," Harry explained, holding out the Portkey so Draco put his hand on it, "and then I can take you to her room from there."

"Right," Draco muttered. There were a few seconds of silence and then the familiar tug behind his navel came as the Portkey activated. The paper pulled them forward and the dark landscape between Wiltshire and London rushing past in a wild blur.

They stopped a few moments later, their feet coming in contact with the hard concrete of the side alley floor. Draco felt the news print un-stick itself from his hand and heard it fall to the ground. Harry took a moment to settle himself, then, not bothering to make sure Draco was following him, walked out of the alley; silently leading the way around to the main entrance and into the nearest elevator.

It made slow progress, which was driving Draco insane, "Do these things always go this slow?" He questioned impatiently as they passed the fourth floor; they still had five floors to go.

"You're really concerned about her aren't you?" Harry asked, surveying Draco thoughtfully.

Draco looked at him in disbelief, "Of course I am. I care about her, both of them." Harry made a noise in his throat that clearly meant he didn't believe that was true. "Don't believe me Potter, you don't have to."

"You've not exactly got the best record. I mean you disappear after the two of you get together, then you come back and act like you care, and then you disappear again.

"The first time we got together she left to give me time," Draco explained steeping out of the elevator as the doors slid open. He knew he didn't have to explain any of this to Harry, but he wanted to get the Great Hero off his back. "Why she needed to do that is not your concern. When I came back I didn't act like I cared – I did care and I disappeared because, well, quiet frankly, because I was afraid."

"Afraid?" Harry questioned directing Draco towards Ginny's room, "I didn't know Malfoys feared."

"Potter, you don't know me and it's very obvious that you don't know what I'm capable of," Draco snapped as they came to a stop outside room 923, labeled _Labor and Delivery_. There were voices coming from inside, including one Draco knew instantly was Ginny's. Feeling a need to be near her he started towards the open door, but Harry held out an arm to stop him.

"Just one word of warning, when I left Ron, Fred, and George were all in there with her. If the three of them are there the other three can't be far behind. So, just consider yourself warned."

Draco nodded distractedly, "right, thanks," he muttered, stepping through the door before Harry could stop him again.

The room was full of people, the entire Weasley family by the looks of it, including two women who must be married to Ginny's brothers or at least dating them. They didn't seem to notice him though; they were all so focused on Ginny that they didn't hear his footsteps or sense his presence at all. Draco wanted to rush to her side, but he hesitated when he heard one of the near by brothers saying something about his child.

"The doctor says the baby won't survive outside the womb," one who Draco recognized as a twin, either Fred or George, was saying to one of the brothers that Draco didn't know.

"No Fred," the other twin, George, corrected. "The doctor said she most likely couldn't survive, because her lungs aren't fully developed yet."

"But surely there is a spell that could help," the other mystery brother insisted, shooting Ginny a nervous glance. This brought Draco's attention back to her. She was now sitting up slightly in bed, gripping the hand rail tightly, her eyes closed, her face distorted by pain. From what little Draco knew of childbirth he guessed she was having a contraction.

Fred spoke then, bringing Draco back to eavesdropping on the conversation at hand, "Mum doesn't think there is anything magic can do," the twin said, shaking his head sadly, "Hermione is trying to find something, but even Ginny's not holding out much hope."

"Hermione just gave birth, she should be resting not doing research."

"Bill, nothing short of finding the answer will stop her," George explained.

"Yeah," Fred elaborated, "not even Harry could get her to stop."

Draco's attention was pulled away from the whispering brother for a second time when Ginny suddenly gasped sharply. He looked across the room to her again. Her eyes had fluttered open and her grip on the rail had loosened. The pain seemed to be passing.

"You're doing wonderful dear," her mother cooed soothingly, rubbing her hand along Ginny's arm.

Ginny gasped again as her body fell back against the pillow, the pain gone, "I though the medication was supposed to be stopping them," she said desperately.

"They said it was supposed to," her father said stepping up to his daughter's beside, "and it will, but they said it would take some time."

"Has Harry come back yet?" Ginny asked desperately, casting her eyes around the room, but missing Draco entirely. "He has to be back, Draco has to be here before she's born, he just has to be."

"I'm here Gin," Draco said stepping out of the shadows by the door. He walked wordlessly across the room. Ignoring the glares of the Weasley brothers, he came to her side. Brushing her wet hair aside, he kissed her on her slightly sweaty forehead.

Ginny smiled up at him; letting go of the rail, she ran her hand down his arm, and clasped his hand in hers, "I'm glad you made it."

Draco nodded, "I wouldn't miss it, not as long as you wanted me here."

"Of course I want you here," she assured him.

Leaning down again Draco brought his lips to the side of her face and whispered softly in her ear, "I'm so sorry for what I said."

"I'm sorry too," she whispered back. He was just going to explain to her that she had nothing to apologize for when her grip on his hand tightened. He looked at her and saw pain rippling across her face as she sat up slightly. She was going through another contraction. He straightened up and placed his free hand on the small of her back supportively, trying to help her in what little way he thought he could.

"That's it Ginny," her father said encouragingly, taking a step towards he bedside.

This contraction passed quickly, much quicker then the last, and she fell back to the bed once more. She managed to pin Draco's hand to the pillow as she went.

"Sorry," she muttered, lifting herself up so he could move his hand.

He shook his head dismissing her apology, "You have nothing to be sorry for, about anything," he promised, squeezing her hand softly.

"No, Draco, don't blame yourself for everything," she whispered so only he could hear her, "I don't." Again he shook his head, sure that their fight was all his doing, but not willing to argue with her any further, especially given the condition she was in.

Keeping her hand in his, Draco took a moment to look around the room, only to be greeted by the disapproving glares of the Weasley brothers. Turning back to Ginny he cocked his head to the side and asked, "Friendly bunch aren't they?"

She laughed slightly, smiling up at him, "They can be when they want to be."

"By the looks on their faces I don't think they'll want to any time soon."

She shook her head. Her family loved her, once they saw that Draco meant something to her they'd at least give him a chance, she was sure of it. "They just don't know you yet, they'll like you once they do."

He snorted is disbelief, "I'm sure they will."

In the corner of the room someone cleared their throat, Draco turned to see the brother he'd been eavesdropping on walking towards him, hand outstretched. "Speaking of not knowing people, we've not met, I'm Bill." Draco gave a curt nod and, reluctantly relinquishing Ginny's hand, took Bill's and shook it, attempting to grip this brother's hand firmly.

"And I'm Charlie," said the other brother Draco hadn't recognized, stretching out his hand just as Bill let go. Draco shook this brothers hand as well, noticing that his hand was rough, covered with calluses and blisters.

Suddenly remembering something long forgotten Draco blurted out, "You're the one who works with dragons."

Charlie was completely taken aback, "Um…yes I am. How did you know that?"

Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably, "A long story, one I'd rather not go into just now." He let go of Charlie's hand, regretting saying anything at all because now an awkward silence had fallen. In fact everyone in the room was so busy trying to avoid looking at each other that they had failed to notice that Ginny hadn't had a contraction in several minutes.

A woman's voice in the corner of the room finally broke the silence, "Quite the crowd you've gathered. You weren't lying when you said you had a big family." Draco turned and saw, to his great relief, Dr. Hearting making her way through the sea of people.

Ginny laughed, "No I wasn't, and keep in mind, you're seeing the family minus a few of my brother's significant others and the three children."

Dr. Hearting smiled jovially, "That being said, I think it's time we cleared a few of you out of here. I know you all want to be here for Ginny, but it's getting a bit cramped."

"They don't all have to go, do they?" Ginny asked, sounding afraid at the prospect of facing labor alone.

"Oh heavens no, Draco can stay of course, and you're parents as well if you want them to, but I'm sorry six brothers and two sisters-in-law are a bit too much."

"That's all right doctor, we understand," Bill said sensibly. "You hang in there Ginny; the two of you are going to get through this."

Ginny smiled, "The three of us, Bill," she corrected him softly, holding out her hand to Draco. He took it and smirked triumphantly at Bill, who rolled his eyes and walked away.

One by one the brothers said encouraging words to Ginny, shoot eyes glares at Draco, and walked from the room. The two women followed after the brothers, waving to Ginny as they went. Now only her parents, the doctor, he, and Ginny were left in the room.

"Come along Arthur, why don't we give these two a little time alone?" Molly suggested after several minutes of unbearable silence.

Arthur looked dangerously at Draco, "Because I don't trust him to be alone with my daughter."

"Don't be ridiculous Dad, Draco's not going to do anything to me; he's here to support me and _our_ daughter."

"I promise Sir," Draco said, not wanting them to doubt him, "I never meant to hurt her, well either of them actually, your daughter or mine." Arthur didn't look convinced, "I know your family and mine have quite the history; we've never been exactly friendly towards each other, but I am not my father, nor have I ever wanted to be. I don't really understand why, but I care very deeply for your daughter. Yes, I've made mistakes in my life, I've was quite an ass in my years at school, but I've changed since then."

Arthur inhaled sharply, considering something, "There is no need to call me Sir; Arthur will be fine. I can see you care for her; you wouldn't brave her brothers if you didn't, but it's possible to hurt even those we care about, especially when we don't mean to. Now, you care about her so much, you help her through this; help her and my granddaughter." He shook Draco's hand then turned to hug his daughter. "Ginny, if you need anything your mother and I will be just outside."

"All right Dad," Ginny said, smiling as her father kissed her forehead. With one last warning look to Draco, Arthur stepped around Ginny's bed and joined his wife.

Once they were safely out of the room Draco could feel himself let out a sigh of relief, "Is it going to be this way for the rest of my life?" He asked Ginny.

She laughed, shaking her head, "No, they are very understanding. Well, they are given time."

"I didn't know people still talked like that," Dr. Hearting said with a laugh.

"Only when it's a conversation between a Malfoy and a Weasley," Ginny explained.

Dr. Hearting chuckled mirthfully, "Oh our very own modern day Montagues and Capulets?" She asked helping Ginny back up into a sitting position.

"Something like that," Ginny admitted, moving her legs apart a bit as Dr. Hearting's gloved hand disappeared beneath the sheets.

"Um…who?" Draco asked, trying not to imagine what the doctor was doing that was making Ginny's face scrunch up like it currently was.

Dr. Hearting turned to look at Draco, "Don't tell me you've never heard of _Romeo and Juliet_?" Draco raked his brain, the names sounded familiar, but he couldn't think of why. He shook his head no and Dr. Hearting's mouth fell open. "I thought everyone in the world had read the play. Well Draco, I suggest you read it sometime, it seems that you and Ginny are somewhat akin to the title characters."

"Though let's hope our story ends better," Ginny suggested as Dr. Hearting pulled her hand out from under the sheets, pulling the glove off as she went.

"Indeed! Well, Ginny, you're between two and three centimeters, which is good because she was at five," Dr. Hearting explained, seeing the look of confusion on Draco's face. "And your contractions seem to be slowing down."

"Yes, I haven't had one in eleven minutes," she looked over to the clock, "nearly twelve now, oh, strike that I spoke too soon." She grunted feeling another contraction starting. Draco helped her up again and rubbed her back as her face contorted in pain.

"Very good Ginny, that's right, just breathe," Dr. Hearting instructed, watching the two of them interact.

"This one's not so bad," Ginny insisted between deep breaths.

Dr. Hearting smiled warmly, "A very good sign, we're moving you back in the right direction. Well, I'll leave you and Alisa in Draco's hands, he seems to have things under control, whether he realizes it or not. I'll be back to check on you in another half hour, hopefully we'll have more progress."

"Right, thank you Doctor," Draco stammered, taken aback by the Dr. Hearting calling their daughter Alisa. Once Ginny's contraction passed, he removed his hand from her back and let her settle herself back on the bed. He watched her, a little mesmerized, as she adjusted the hospital gown she was wearing and brushed her hair out of her way.

She looked up at him, "Um…what?" She asked, noticing him staring at her.

"You just look so…"

"Hideous?" She offered, knowing she looked tired and was very sweaty, not her best look.

"Never," he assured her, "you look a little tired, but you still look ravishing."

She felt herself blush, adding more color to her already flushed face, and gave an embarrassed smile, "Ravished perhaps, but I don't know about ravishing."

"Trust me, I know. So, you decided to still call her Alisa?" He asked when their laughter had died down.

"I told you, I thought it was perfect," she said simply.

He smiled nervously at her, "Yeah I know, but I thought…after what happened…I really am sorry about that – I shouldn't have -" she held up her hand to stop him.

"Before we have this conversation, why don't you sit down, you can just use the chair Mum was sitting in." He nodded, letting go of her hand so he could pull the clunky hospital chair closer to Ginny's bed. "You know you can take your cloak off as well, unless you plan on going somewhere."

"Yeah, I mean no; no, I don't plan on going anywhere," he stammered, mentally chiding himself for being so nervous, "Sorry I just didn't think about it."

"There's no need to apologize, I just thought you'd be more comfortable without it on."

He nodded again, his brain screaming at him to get a grip as he took of his cloak and swung it over the back of the chair. Sitting in the chair he slid it a bit closer to her and took her hand once more. "Right, now that I've got my cloak off and sat down; I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have gotten that stupid ring, at least without talking to you first. I mean I just wanted to give you something, to say thank you, I guess. After all you were, no _are, _carrying my child and I never thought someone would be willing to do that for me, as strange as that sounds. I just didn't know what else to do except buy you something. I'm not good at this.

"No," she agreed stifling a laugh, "though you do appear to be rather good at rambling."

He glared at her, "I meant relationships, I've not had many, certainly none that are this serious."

"It's all right Draco, I was only teasing," she soothed. "I knew what you meant and I just want to say I will not have you calling my favorite piece of jewelry stupid."

"What?" He asked, sure he'd misheard her. She smiled knowingly and pulled at the chain she was wearing around her neck. Pulling it out of the front of her gown she revealed the pink-stone ring.

"I'm afraid my fingers have swelled a bit too much to wear it just now."

"I thought you hated it. I thought you thought I was trying to buy your affection."

She shook her head, tucking the ring away again, "I never hated it, I always thought it was beautiful. I'm just not used to having people spend that much money on me, or being able to for that matter. I guess at first I thought you were trying to bribe me, but the next day when I was in my car I saw it and, I don't know, I just knew I'd been wrong. I realized that you care for me and Alisa."

"Of course I do."

"I'm sorry I acted so…ungrateful."

"And I'm sorry I said such horrible things to you. I don't think of you like that – I never could. I was just … afraid."

She gave him a curious look, "Afraid? Of what?"

"A great many things. My feeling for you, my feeling for Alisa, my ability to be a father, my ability to be good enough for you, just about everything I could be afraid of I was."

She sighed, "Can I confess something?"

"Um…if you have something to confess."

"I'm terrified too. I have no idea how to be a mum; I especially don't know how to be the mum of a Malfoy or the girlfriend of one."

He laughed, "So basically, neither one of us know what we're doing?"

"It seems so," she laughed back, "you know, you're getting much better at apologizing."

He gave her a half smile, "I wanted to apologize sooner," he explained, "I just wasn't sure how I'd be received."

"Where ever has the Malfoy confidence gone?" Ginny asked, her eyes opening wide in mock surprise. "You know the man I spent the night with seven months ago would never admit something like that."

He look intently into her captivating brown eyes and said, without hesitation, "Well I've changed."

She smiled at him, gently pulling her hand from his and cupping it on his face, "Yes, yes you have." He brought his hand over hers on his cheek and let it rest there, the two of them staring fixedly at each other as a comfortable silence passed through the room.

What felt like seconds later, Draco looked to the clock and found that ten minutes had gone by while they just stared at each other. He looked back to Ginny and smiled happily, "You've not had a contraction since the doctor left twenty minutes ago."

"Actually I've had a couple, but they didn't hurt at all, they were just a little uncomfortable."

"So our little girl's just been putting us on, hasn't she," Draco joked, putting his hand on Ginny's rounded abdomen. "You've no intention of coming out tonight do you?" He asked to his daughter as he laid his head on Ginny's stomach.

Ginny laughed, "I think our Alisa was just trying to get her parents to speak to each other again."

"Smart girl," Draco said, patting Ginny's stomach affectionately.

"You know, I've been meaning to compliment you on that painting you gave me," she asserted as he rubbed her stomach, muttering to their unborn daughter.

He turned to her, his hand still on her abdomen, "Oh really?" He questioned, feeling a bit smug at her words, despite himself.

She nodded, "It's breathtaking," she praised.

"It's you," he explained simply, turning his attention back her stomach. She smiled at the back of his head; it was also refreshing, after feeling a bit like a whale for so long, to hear that he thought she was attractive or at least she had been at one point in her life.

Right on schedule, Dr. Hearting came back into the room. She was smiling brightly and seemed in a very good mood, despite the late hour. "So, how are things going in here?" She asked stepping up to the far side of Ginny's bed.

"Good, actually, the contractions have got much easier to deal with, they barely bother me now," Ginny assured Dr. Hearting.

The doctor smiled, "That's wonderful, let's just check you and see how you're doing." Trying to be of help, Draco helped Ginny back up into the sitting position Dr. Hearting had examined her in before. Dr. Hearting smiled at him and began to examine Ginny. After a quick physical examine she checked a small machine on Ginny's bedside table. "I think, Draco, you might just be Ginny's lucky charm," Dr. Hearting announced, turning back towards them. "Ginny, you're no longer in active labor, congratulations."

"Oh thank Merlin," Ginny muttered under her breath, letting herself give a deep sigh of relief.

"So, know what? Does Ginny go home, does she stay here?" Draco asked. He didn't know what Dr. Hearting meant by active labor, but if Ginny was happy about it, it must mean something good.

"Well, I'm sure you're anxious to get out of here, but we need to keep Ginny a bit longer, for observation. If we make it through the night, without any further complications, I might be able to get you on your way home before lunch. Now if you need me, just push the page button and the nurses will get me."

"All right," Ginny nodded, looking to the button now handing from the side of her bed. She was sure she wouldn't need it, but it was still good to know where it was.

"Draco, I think there are some people waiting in the hallway that will want to hear your good news," Dr. Hearting said motioning to the doorway. Draco nodded, Dr. Hearting was making him reach out to Ginny's family and he greatly appreciated that. Updating them on Ginny's condition was the perfect way to disguise a civilized conversation.

The corridor outside Ginny's room was amazingly still, and eerily silent. Down the hallway cries of pain and cheers of joy could be heard, but no noise was coming from the red heads. Most were leaning on the wall across from the door, looking down to their feet or whispering to each other. Draco noted the two wives were gone, probably sent home, or off doing something to keep their hands busy. Arthur and Molly were sitting in two chairs just outside the door. They were the first to notice Draco had appeared.

Molly looked up at him silently, her eyes pleading with him, begging him for good news. Arthur wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders and looked up to Draco, "Well, how is she?"

"She's safe," Draco told them, "Ginny's out of active labor, Alisa's safe." Molly collapsed back into her husband's chest and she began to cry, great tears of release. Arthur gave a heavy sigh of relief and pulled his wife closer to him, letting her cry freely.

Ron straightened up, stepped halfway across the hall, and looked at Draco, "Can I have a word?" He asked, obviously struggling to keep his voice even. Draco nodded, he'd expected this to happen eventually and he supposed that now, when Ginny seemed to be out of danger, was as good a time as any.

Ron silently led Draco down the corridor, not stopping until they were a safe distance from his family. "You the one who's been elected to threaten me?"

"There are no threats involved in this. I want to know what you want of my family. I want to know why you came back after all this time."

"I don't want anything from your family," Draco insisted.

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because your sister wanted me here. If you have an issue with that, you'll have to take it up with her."

Ron's eyes narrowed, "I did," he said impatiently, "before you got here, but she wouldn't hear it."

"So, Weasley what do you want me to do about it? Do you want me to leave? Do you want your sister to go through this alone?"

Ron rolled his eyes, "Of course not, that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" Draco asked bluntly, he knew that over-protective brothers came with being a part of Ginny's life, but this was going nowhere. Draco found himself wishing that Ron would just threaten him and get it over with.

"You're not right for her, that's the point," Ron explained, flinging his hands up in the air, as if this was common knowledge. "She deserves someone who loves her and wants to be with her. She deserves someone who wants to marry her and spend the rest of their life with her. She deserves much more then what you can give her."

"You've no idea what I can give her," Draco insisted, his temper and his voice beginning to rise.

"Money isn't everything Malfoy," Ron insisted, his voice rising to meet Draco's increased volume. "She's well off enough to take care of herself and her child."

"_Our_ child," Draco corrected.

Ron scoffed, "Not counting tonight you've seen her once since she found out she was pregnant. I'd say that excludes you from the running for father of the year."

Draco exhaled sharply, rubbing his hand against his forehead; it was taking all the self-control he had to keep from reaching out and strangling the obstinate red-head. "Congratulations Weasley, you've figured me out, I'm not perfect. But I care about your sister and I love your niece and nothing that you can say here is going to change that or make me go away."

"Fine," Ron muttered, "but mistreat either of them and you will live to regret it."

"I thought there were no threats involved in this."

Ron shook his head "It's not a threat Malfoy," he explained calmly, "it's a promise, and I have five brothers, and Harry, who will help me keep that promise." Draco stared indignantly, wondering how best to tell Ron off. He would never mistreat Ginny or his daughter and even if, by some grave error, he did mistreat them, he was sure Ginny could do worse then Ron and his brothers could.

A door opened behind them, it was Harry coming out of his wife's room. "Malfoy, what are you doing out here? Is Ginny all right?" Harry asked, looking suspiciously from Ron to Draco.

"Ginny fine, she's out of active labor."

Harry sighed, just as Arthur had, "Good, I'll go tell Hermione. How long will she have to stay in the hospital?"

"The earliest she can leave is tomorrow at lunch," Draco told him, glad to be out of his conversation with Ron.

"Right, I have to know everything before I talk to 'Mione – that is everything isn't it?"

Draco shrugged, "It's everything I know."

Harry shrugged in return, "I guess that'll be enough for her." He turned back and disappeared into the room. Draco turned back to Ron and saw him storming away, his shoulders were hunched and his hands were stuffed in his pockets, apparently it did him no good to see his best mate and Draco on friendly terms.

When Draco got back to Ginny's room her brothers were gathered around her, saying goodbye for the night. Draco hovered near the door, deciding it was best not to intrude on the family. They filed out one by one, all of them, much to Draco's astonishment, pausing at the door to shake his hand; though Ron did so warily.

"Take care of her tonight," Ron requested as he held tightly to Draco's hand. He kept his voice at an even whisper, obviously not wanting to be overheard, "She's worth more then all the money in your vault."

Draco nodded, "Yes Weasley, I am aware of that."

"Good," Ron said gruffly, "then keep it in mind."

"Ron," Ginny called from her bed, "leave him alone," she ordered, Ron shrugged and walked out of the room. "He's really not this bad normally," she promised Draco apologetically as he stepped over to her bedside.

Molly nodded her head, "Ron's really a very nice boy," she assured Draco, "he just worries about Ginny, more then the others; if that's possible." Ginny and Ron had always been close, they were the closest in age and because they were so young the often only had each other.

"Come on Molly, let's go," Arthur insisted. "We can come back in the morning."

Molly smiled at him, "Yes, we can," then she looked to Draco and smiled again. She walked around Ginny's bed and pulled the blonde into a tight hug. He was taken completely by surprise and wasn't sure how to react; he'd never really been hugged like this before. It was a very motherly hug and though his mother had loved him dearly she was a Malfoy and before that a Black, neither family set much store in displays of affection. They were considered overly showy; unnecessary frivolities.

Mercifully she let him out of the hug before he had to react and moved passed him to hug her daughter. Arthur meanwhile had stepped up next to Draco and was holding out his hand. "If things go bad again," Arthur began as Draco took his hand and shook it, "floo us."

Draco nodded, "Of course Sir."

Arthur laughed, "Good, Molly would have my neck if I insisted she'd go home and then Ginny went into labor while we were away. And I've told you, there's no need to call me Sir."

"It's a bit of a habit I'm afraid," Draco admitted, "I called my father sir all my life. I'll remember in the future."

"Yes do," Arthur instructed, "being called sir makes me feel old; even older then knowing my baby is having a baby of her own."

Ginny frowned, "I'm hardly a baby anymore Daddy," she reminded, as Molly let her go and stepped away from Ginny's bedside. She knew her father meant nothing by it, but just then she'd found the though insulting. She'd never felt less like a baby in her life.

Arthur smiled at her, "Yes, I know, you're an adult know, not really sure when that happened, but it certainly did." He continued to survey his heavily pregnant daughter for a moment and then reached out to his wife, saying, "Come along Molly, let's go home and get some rest."

"All right Arthur," Molly said reluctantly, taking her husband's hand, "we'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Mum, goodnight Dad," Ginny said smiling sweetly at her parents. They smiled back and disappeared with a crack. Ginny sighed loudly once they'd gone, sliding down slightly in her bed. "If fake labor is this draining, I can't imagine what the real thing will be like."

"It wasn't fake, it was early," Draco corrected, stepping up to her bedside, his hands gently gripping the rail, "and I'm sure you'll manage. You see, I have this theory that you can do anything, and I'm a Malfoy so I know I'm right."

She laughed, "Well, if you're sure."

"I am," he affirmed with a cheeky grin, "So, is there anything I can do for you before you sleep?"

"Could you go check on Hermione?" She asked hopefully, "I've no idea how she's doing, I don't even know my godsons name; everyone kept saying I should concentrate, but I have to know how she is or I'm sure I won't be able to sleep."

"If that's what it'll take to get you to sleep," Draco said, stepping back from the bed, glad that her request was something easily accomplished. He'd been told that pregnant women could make some wild demands when the fancy took them.

"What will it take to get her to sleep?" Someone asked from the doorway. Draco turned and saw that is was Hermione who'd spoken. She was in a wheelchair, a small bundle in her arms, being pushed by Harry.

"Actually, she wanted me to check on you," Draco explained with a bit of a smile, glad that it turned out he didn't have to go anywhere to see Ginny's request happen. He'd been away from her enough already.

Hermione smiled, "Well, it's good I made Harry bring me 'round," she said as Harry pushed her to Ginny's bedside.

"Yes, it was the only way I could get _her_ to agree to sleep," Harry explained in a whisper to Draco, nodding at Hermione. "Once I told her Ginny was fine she insisted we come and check on her, and bring Raoul for her to see."

"Raoul?" Draco questioned as Ginny cooed over the small bundle in question.

"Raoul Christopher Potter," Harry elaborated, his eyes rolling ever so slightly, "Think I'll call him Chris."

"Not a fan of Raoul?" Draco asked, casting a glance at the little boy. He already had a head of wild black hair, and looked remarkably like his father.

Harry shrugged, "I like it, I'm just not entirely sure it goes with Potter," he explained.

"Well, it is quite a name."

"Yes," Harry agreed, "Hermione insists it suits him though."

"Where did she find it?" Draco asked, sure he already knew the answer.

"A book she's been reading, _The Phantom of the Opera_, I think, which only proves you were right. I veto literary names for months and she still manages to get her way."

Draco smirked; Harry had never admitted Draco was right about anything, not once in the eleven years they had known each other. "You know I'm told women often get their way," he commented, trying to hold back his smirk; he didn't want to look too full of himself.

Harry nodded, "Yes, they do, especially once you've married them. They are crafty about it as well; they make you believe it was your way all along."

"Well," Draco started thoughtfully, "Hermione's been outsmarting you since she was twelve; you kind of set yourself up by marrying her."

Harry chuckled, "That's true, but there are things about 'Mione that people wouldn't expect," he explained, a broad smile spreading across his face, Draco was sure he could guess what that smile meant. "Plus she's," Harry continued after a pause, "I don't know how to explain it exactly, she's just everything to me. You'll understand someday."

Draco nodded, looking over at Ginny; she had propped herself up and was looking to the bundle in Hermione's arm. "I think I'm beginning to," he muttered, more to himself then Harry.

"I think you just might be," Harry agreed in an undertone, stepping back over to Hermione. "All right love, you've checked on Ginny, you've shown little Chris off, I think it's time we went back to your room. You need to rest, so does Ginny."

"You're right," Hermione admitted, "And the nurses would have my neck if they knew I was here and not in bed."

"Yes well," Harry said, taking hold of the wheelchair's handles, "We've never been much for keeping with the rules, have we?" He asked turning her around and beginning to push her towards the door.

Hermione laughed, "Too right, well, goodnight you two," she called over her shoulder as Harry pushed her out into the hall.

"Goodnight," Draco called after them, "Or morning rather," he added, noticing it was nearing four in the morning. "Now you've seen your godson, learned his name, now it is time to rest or your mother will string me up I'm sure."

"All right, but you need to reat too," Ginny insisted, attempting to stifle rather large yawn. She pushed a button on the side of the bed and it leveled out slightly, giving her a more comfortable position to sleep in. Draco stepped over to her bedside and adjusted her pillow for her, so it was behind her head and not her back. She thanked him and continued to settle herself until she found a comfortable position. "Come, sit next to me," she added almost as an after thought.

"Right," he muttered nervously, taking up his chair next to her bedside, "So, Raoul Potter, what do you think of him?" He asked, trying to make light conversation.

She smiled, "He's quote handsome, looks astonishingly like his father, though I'm with Harry; I think I'll call him Chris. Raoul's a bit much."

"Just a bit," he laughed, "maybe he'll grow into it," he suggested with a shrug.

"It could happen," she agreed, yawning again.

"Gin," Draco started nervously, "I want to talk to you about something."

She closed her eyes sleepily then opened them again, smiling softly at him, "About what?"

"Us," he explained, "I want to be a part of your life. These last three months have been torture for me, and I want to be a father to our daughter. I don't want to miss anything, with you or the rest of the pregnancy, so I was thinking, maybe you could move in with me." He looked to her for her reaction, but there was nothing to see. Sometime during his little speech, she'd fallen asleep. Draco sighed; he'd simply have to talk to her when she awoke.

His own fatigue took him completely by surprise. One moment he felt wide awake and then next he wanted nothing more then to sleep, for a very long time. For a moment he contemplated apparating home and returning to his own bed, but then Ginny shifted in her bed and he knew he couldn't leave. He didn't want to leave her, and more importantly, he didn't want her to wake up and think he'd left.

So he did his best to make himself comfortable. He couldn't magic himself anything; the hospital staff would notice any furniture that was out of place. In the end, he used a corner of Ginny's bed as a pillow and threw his cloak over his back as a means to keep warm. It wasn't the most relaxing position or even one he'd ever use again if given the choice, but it worked in the moment.

Hours later Draco awoke to the sensation of someone touching his head. It was an odd feeling to wake up to, but he knew without looking that it was Ginny running her fingers through his hair, and that made him oddly content.

She had been awake for twenty minutes already, watching him sleep. She was surprised to see him resting on the end of her bed; he looked amazingly uncomfortable, but she couldn't help but smile at him. He was so sweet to stay there with her.

"So you're finally awake," she said softly, stroking his hair off his face.

He started to sit up, but stopped as his neck and back screamed in pain; this was the hazard of sleeping at a ninety degree angle. Groaning loudly, he rolled his neck in an attempt to loosen it.

"Are you all right?" Ginny asked sympathetically as Draco stood up and started to massage his lower back.

"Yes, just a bit stiff," he explained trying to stretch himself out. It wasn't doing him any good; he just couldn't stretch far enough to loosen himself up.

After a few minutes of watching him struggle Ginny laughed and called him over to her, "Turn around and lift up your shirt," she instructed, pulling her wand out from her pillow case. Draco looked skeptically at her, "Trust me," she insisted, reaching out and pushing him around. He pulled his shirt up reluctantly and almost instantly he felt a blast of heat tickle at the base of his spine and climb up his back. The heat left a great sense of relaxation in its wake and he felt his muscles quickly unclench.

He turned back to her, smiling, "Thanks for that," he said, letting his shirt fall back down.

"See, good things happen when you trust me," she informed him smugly, tucking her wand away.

"Has Dr. Hearting come back yet?" He asked, choosing to ignore her smug tone.

Ginny shook her head, "Not yet. Draco, did you ask me to move in with you last night?"

"You heard that?" He asked, taken completely by surprise. He was sure she'd been asleep by the time he'd gotten to the part about moving in together. "I thought you were asleep."

She shrugged, "I thought I was dreaming, I didn't know you'd actually asked me," she explained.

"Yes, I actually asked you," he clarified, nervously smoothing out the front of his shirt. "I want to be close to you Ginny, and to Alisa. The Manor is rather large, you could have your own rooms if you wanted and they could be as far away from mine as you wanted. I'd just want you to be there, I don't want to miss anything else."

"Draco, I –" She started, but stopped when she heard the door to her room open. In came her parents, there to check on her just like they'd promised they would.

Molly was the first one at Ginny's bedside, hugging her daughter and asking her about her night. Ginny assured her mother that everything was fine and Molly moved aside to allow Arthur his turn. "You look good Ginny, are you good?" He asked hugging her and kissing her lightly on the cheek.

"I'm very good Dad," she assured him, casting a loving look at Draco over her father's back. "I slept well."

Arthur nodded, "Good, has the doctor been in?"

"Not yet, but you know, Dad if you have to get to work that's fine, you don't have to stay. Nor do you Mum. I'd love for you to stay," she added seeing her mother's hurt expression, "but Draco's here, he'll keep track of me." She didn't want to hurt her parent's feelings or make them feel like they weren't needed, but really she wanted to be alone with Draco.

"But how will you get home?" Molly asked, determined to find a use for herself. "You certainly can't apparate or leave your car here."

"Draco can drive me," she insisted, "besides, he and I have things we need to discuss. I promise I'll floo you or have Draco floo you and tell you all about what the doctor says. I just –" she sighed heavily, "I just need this to be ours," she admitted reaching out and taking Draco's hand.

Molly looked defeated, but smiled, "I suppose we could go check on Hermione, we've not seen her since last night."

"Thank you Mum," Ginny said softly, letting her mother hug her again, "I love you both, it's just –"

"There's no need to explain Ginny dear," Molly said sweetly, "You're an adult know, you have every right to tell us to leave." The turning to Draco she added, "Draco dear, you take care of her, and be sure to floo us with whatever the doctor says."

He nodded, "I will."

"Good man," Arthur appraised, clapping the blonde on the back; Draco nodded again, glad to have the Weasley patriarch offer up such praise of him. He knew it probably didn't mean much, in the long run, but he supposed that in situations like these every bit counted.

Molly hugged Draco tight as Arthur said a goodbye to his daughter and then the Weasley parents were gone. "I feel a bit like we've just been worked over by a tornado," Draco said, straitening out his shirt.

"Ah Draco," Ginny said with a pitying smile, "There are many more tornados in your future. You've not even been to a family lunch yet." Draco shuddered at the thought. "Though my parents do seem to have warmed up to you; my father certainly approves of you looking out for me."

"And your mother hugs me like I'm part of the family."

"You'll get use to that," she assured him with a laugh, "She knows how much you mean to me, so she'll be on her best behavior." She looked as if she wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Dr. Hearting, who'd just appeared in the doorway, a male nurse at her shoulder.

"Good morning," she said brightly, stepping into the room, the nurse following close behind her. "I have some good news for you. The nurses tell me you had an uneventful night after I left, so I am sending you home."

"Home?" Ginny asked hopefully, looking to Draco for a moment then turning back to Dr. Hearting.

"Yes, home, though you'll have to be on bed rest," she insisted, "for at least the next six weeks. I know it won't be fun," the doctor said over Ginny's groan of complaint, "but you need to stay off your feet. Anything that can be done to help you reach full term needs to be done; besides it could be worse, I could keep you here for the next month and a half."

"No, bed rest sounds fine," Ginny assured the doctor, not caring to consider the alternative, "I'm sure I'll find some way to keep myself entertained."

"I thought that might convince you," Dr. Hearting admitted with a laugh, "So there are just some papers you need to sign," she told them walking up to Ginny's bedside, clipboard in hand. "While you sign theses, Bryan here will unhook you from all these monitors," the doctor explained, motioning to the nurse standing behind her with her free hand and handing the clipboard to Ginny with the other. "You just need to read over these forms and sign them, nothing big, just legal."

"All right," Ginny said, her eyes beginning to scan the papers. A quiet followed, in which the nurse, Bryan, took a black band off Ginny's stomach and pulled a small tube out of the joint of her elbow.

"And Draco," Dr. Hearting said, once Bryan had finished, "I want you to make sure she stays in bed, resting, the only excuse she has for being out of bed is to go to the bathroom."

"I think I can manage to keep her in bed," Draco said smugly, giving Ginny a stare that begged her to challenge him.

"Good, well, we'll leave now, you can get dressed and gather up your things," Dr. Hearting explained, taking her clipboard back from Ginny, "Bryan will come back in fifteen minutes with a wheelchair to escort you out. Oh and Ginny," she added as she reached to door, I want to see you at the end of the six weeks, call my office in the next day or so and make an appointment."

"I will, thank you Doctor," Ginny called happily after Dr. Hearting, "I get to go home," Ginny sighed happily, once they were alone again, talking more to herself then to Draco.

"But to which home?" Draco asked tentatively, afraid that he wouldn't get the answer he wanted.

She flashed him a sly smile, "Well mine of course, I have to pack a couple of bags before I can move in with you, don't I? Now, if you would be so kind as to help me out of this bed so I can get dressed."

"Couldn't just give me a bloody straight answer," he muttered, "had to make me think you'd rejected me offer."

"Straight answers are overrated," she assured him, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. He scowled dangerously at her, obviously not finding this as amusing as she did.

Grudgingly, he offered his hand to help her out of the bed; she took hold of it and pulled him in, capturing his lips with hers. Her kiss was soft, tender, loving. She was silently apologizing for upsetting him. Draco groaned happily, wrapping his arm around her back and lifting her slightly off the bed. "Draco," she gasped against his lips, "we have to stop – we can't."

"I know," he admitted, pulling his face away from hers, "We're going to have to be careful." He lowered her onto the floor and stepped aside, letting her gather her clothes from the corner of the room and begin to dress herself.

"Yes, we will," she agreed, giving him an appraising look. Living with Draco was going to be a challenge she knew that, for a great number of reasons, but the one that worried her most was their attraction to each other. Every time she'd seen Draco, since that first night when she'd posed for him, she'd wanted him. Ginny was sure if she hadn't been in the middle of labor last night she would have jumped the handsome blonde the second she saw him.

Once she was dressed and had her few things gathered up, Draco insisted she get back into bed. "The Doctor did say bed rest."

"She also said I'd be on bed rest at _home_," Ginny insisted stubbornly. Again he looked at her as if he was daring her to oppose him, but again she didn't. He was after all, only doing what Dr. Hearting was asking him to do, but he didn't have to act so smug about it, that was the part that really bothered her.

"All right," Draco started, gathering up his cloak and throwing it over his arm, "you're back in bed, so give me your keys and I'll pull your car 'round front. You know, be waiting for you when Nurse Bryan wheels you out."

"That's very sweet," Ginny said with a smile, fishing her keys out of her pocket. "The car is parked in a side alley, off to the right side of the hospital." He smiled, gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, and walked out of the room with a bit of a spring in his step, not caring who saw him.

Outside the hospital he found her car almost immediately. It was parked in the alley he and Harry had appeared in the night before. He was just climbing into the black SUV when he was met by Ginny's parents, who'd apparently finished their visit with the Potters.

"Draco," Molly called out when she caught sight of him.

"She's going home," he called back, knowing the information they were after. Molly beamed as Draco repeated to them what the doctor had said, but left out the part about them moving in together; Ginny would most likely want to be with him when they broke that bit of news. Molly hugged him again and gave him strict orders to get Ginny straight to bed. Draco assured her he would do just that and the disappeared with two loud pops.

Alone again, he climbed into the car, and pulled it around to the front of the hospital. Ginny was just being wheeled out, already looking impatient. Undoubtedly she didn't want to spend another minute in that hospital, after the night she'd had, anywhere would be better then the hospital.

"I ran into your parents while I was getting the car," Draco declared, stepping out of the car. "Told them about what the doctor said, but I didn't tell them about us," he informed her, taking control of her wheelchair and pushing her towards the passenger side door. "I decided we could do that together."

"How very brave of you," Ginny stated dryly, watching him pull open her door.

Assuring himself that her door would stay open, he turned back to her, grabbed her up in his arms and carried her to her seat, saying only, "Who is the Gryffindor in this relationship?" He closed her door before she could respond, and returned the wheelchair to the nurse, who was watching them carefully, apparently fascinated.

When he jumped into the driver's seat she asked simply, "Are you admitting to being a coward?"

He couldn't stop himself from laughing, "Hardly. If I was a coward would I be here asking you to move in with me?"

"No," she admitted.

"I just think it would be best if we told them that together. Besides it's not happening tonight. You need to pack; I need to set a few things up first. So really, we have a couple days before we need to tell them."

She look at him with a bit of trepidation before say, "Yes, I suppose that's true, but you will stay tonight won't you?"

"Of course," Draco answered, without the slightest hesitation, "I love you, why would I leave?"

She looked at him, a mixture of surprise and utmost joy on her face, "I don't – I don't know," Ginny answered, her brain taking a moment to catch up with his words, "I just wanted to make sure." She paused for a moment then added, "I love you too."

He smiled warmly, reaching across the car and taking hold of her hand, "Good, I would hate to be alone in that."

"Yes, that would be terrible," she agreed, squeezing his hand softly before he returned it to the steering wheel.

He hadn't meant to tell he loved her just then. In fact it had taken him completely by surprise when those particular words spilled out of his mouth. But looking at her, sitting silently across the car from him, her hands cradled around her stomach, protecting their child, he knew he loved her. And he was suddenly struck by how very glad he was that he had taken her up on her arrangement all those months ago.

**AN:** See no need to worry; it all came out in the wash. We've one more part to go, and epilogue which will probably be shorter then parts one, two, and three, but still long enough to satisfy. Anyway, like I said to the readers of my other story, I'm moving across country soon, it was supposed to happen last month but it got put off so it wont be happening until later this month. The point to all that is that I wont have a lot of spare time to write so it's not likely the epilogue will be coming out any time soon. This story wouldn't be coming out now if it hadn't been mostly done before this moving hullabaloo began

**lee74** - : ) **Jenna Kathleen** –of course he'll miss her, but it's all fixed now so that's good **Harryswoman** - : ) **Mrs.HarryPotter12** – oh I'm good at happy endings, really good at them **elyse** - : ) **bigreader** – no, not stupid Draco – stupid ego, it's not Draco's fault its his egos **Bungle-in-the-Jungle** – yeah well, nothing is that simple, even now that they are together it'll be a while before everything is settled, you'll see a bit of that in the epilogue **tiffany** – no he's not, he's a man, and he's got an ego **Channy **- : ) **little-munchkin-poo** – yeah the last part of Part Two was sad, but it's better now so that's all good **Kleo** - : ) **britt** – yeah, sorry it took so long, but I changed direction once I had written most of this story so I have to go back and rewrite half of it **kasey** – well it isn't a chapter, it's a separate story, but I was getting complaints about that so I just decided to give in and post it like it is chapters **HP Geek** - : ) **The Redhead Witch** – how could I keep you guys interested for as long as it takes me to write the parts of this story if I didn't leave off with a cliffhanger? It's just not possible I tell you, not possible. Anyway, I'm glad you liked Part Two, I hopped you like Part Three too **LetMeLoveYou** – yes I did, to quote The Fantasticks "Without a hurt, the heart is hollow." **Nam** - : ), I'm glad you liked it so much **madmissymel** – : ) **pinkducky** – no, it was the second part of the serious in which The Painting is the first. It's a series of one-shot stories, but since that seems to be confusing people I put The Challenge and The Change up after The Painting **longbca** - : ) **HarryxJames** - : ) **richell** - : ) **Emma9** - : ) **bigreader** – we've been here before, I recognize that tree – sorry I was watching Gilmore Girls and that's a quote from the show, 'cause I didn't realize you'd left the same review twice until just now **AnitaBlakeBuffyFan** – well now, the two of them are to stubborn to get back together without a somewhat traumatic reason, but the good news is it turned out all right in the end **Taika** - : ) **Dweeb** – I'm glad you weren't rendered speechless or I wouldn't have gotten your lovely review, I'm glad you liked it **kittybro** – I don't really talk about that 'cause it doesn't have a whole lot to do with Draco and Ginny, but I touch on it in the epilogue **Isadora** - : ) **Lady Ghost Buster** - : ) **Americasweetie** - : ) **Guardian Angel4** - : ) **Harryswoman** - : ) **Rachel Tessen** – No one is perfect **singin'intherain251** – lol, I know I've seen the show and I had a classmate who used to quote that episode all the time **madmisssymel** - : ) **blueslusher48** - : ), sorry it took so long, but it's a long story and some things had to be changed **RhiaJade** - : ) **zuvalupa** - : ) ** Calla-ForEvEa** - : ) **padfootedmoony** - : )


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